Affection
by ireallylovepeanuts
Summary: In a surprising turn of events, the Stagiaire was cancelled in favor of an Amazing Food Race across the world. The student body is split into pairs for this challenge, and completion of this month-long marathon will ensure both students' continued tenure in the academy. Sounds exciting? Yukihira Soma thinks so too, or at least until he finds out who his partner is... Soma/Erina.
1. Excerpt

Hi!

Welcome to _**Affection,**_ a new SnS fan-fic by yours truly. The main pairing for this fic will be **Soma and Erina** , because who doesn't want to see the high and mighty princess of Totsuki fall for the "lowly" commoner running an ordinary diner? heheh. In all seriousness, I think the two of them would make a great and dynamic duo with amazing chemistry. Erina stands to learn lots from Soma's way of looking at things, and our favorite redhead can also get a lesson on discretion and etiquette from the blonde princess of Totsuki, both of which he clearly lacks (or doesn't care about)

I have a good idea on what the side pairings are going to be, but they might change along the way depending on how the story pans out (or maybe I'll allow a vote to be casted when the time comes, who knows?)

Take note that this story picks off after the conclusion of the Autumn elections, with the results the same as in canon. It's time for the _holidays!_

A small disclaimer: I am a horrible cook. I, however, would like to try my hand at writing a Shokugeki with my less-than-desirable culinary skills. So you might see something really ridiculous in the later chapters (imagine judges praising a peanut butter jelly sandwich like its the most delicious thing they've ever eaten), but it's all in good fun.

This is a sneak peek of what you can expect to come in future chapters (a really loooooooong time in the future though, but I'm sure there's lots of other Sorina shippers like me out there, so you'll probably enjoy this as much as I did writing it!)

Enjoy this short excerpt!

* * *

"I know I'm no prince in shining armor, though that's definitely not for the lack of trying on my part." A flash of his usual cheekiness in the lopsided grin which had the honey blonde rolling her eyes, but the blush on her cheeks and the slight tilt of the edge of her lips dampened the implication of that gesture. "We're both new to this... _thing_ we share. I don't know what to make of it, and I'm scared, Erina. Never have I felt so vulnerable and invincible at the same time. With you by my side, I feel like I can take on the world. But at the same time, it feels so fragile and I'm afraid that if I do something rash, it'll... just shatter and be gone forever. Just like that."

The redhead took a deep breath and closed his eyes briefly as if to gather his thoughts. "I've made countless mistakes, and I'm sure I'll continue to make more in the future. I only hope that you can continue forgiving me and giving me time to learn more about you. About _us._ "

The last word was uttered quietly, solemnly, but with the impact of a sucker punch. Erina felt her breath hitch, aware that she must have been turning quite red by now. Her chest rose and fell with each ragged inhale and exhale, as if her lungs couldn't seem to get enough oxygen, no matter the volume of air cycling through it. Soma's close proximity, coupled with his arresting words and glittering eyes made her feel things she had once thought fictional; something that was exaggerated tenfold in shoujo mangas to sell better to the masses.

However, there was no mistaking it. Her racing pulse, clammy palms and dry mouth... even her legs felt like jelly under Soma's intense scrutiny! It all served to ascertain the niggling suspicioun that had surfaced over the past week in her mind. Growing slowly but steadily in size with each confounding interaction with the redhead chef until it was hard to ignore (something akin to a malignant tumour), the blonde suspected that her feelings for this boy went past just mere friendship. A _friend_ wouldn't be able to get under her skin as easily as him, occupy her thoughts as much, or even incite such strong reactions. Hisako never did.

She felt comfortable around Hisako. She knew her closest friend and aide will never judge her for her behaviour or eccentricities. When she was around Soma, on the other hand, there was an underlying tension. Don't get her wrong; she had grown to find his company quite... enjoyable. Fun, even. He calmed her down in a way nobody else can and opened her eyes to a whole new way of looking at the world around her. It might sound awfully cliché, but previously, her world had been drenched in shades of black and white with only rights and wrongs. Now, with Soma at the figurative helm, it was as if the monochrome filter was removed from before her eyes and she could finally admire everything the way it was supposed to be seen from the eyes of a regular teenager. Cherry blossoms blooming no longer only signified the onset of spring. Eating wasn't just for the sake of nutrition for her body or to be criticized on its flavour and how it could be improved. Every action she took no longer had to have a rationalization, be it for personal gain or for her family name.

With Soma, she wasn't held to the standards and expectations of the Nakiri family.

With Soma, she felt free and unhindered in a way she had never known.

With Soma, she was just another girl in love with a boy.

There, she had finally admitted it to herself. She was in love with this infuriating redhead.

"Erina."

"Y-Y-Yes?" Jolted from her reverie, the tenth seat's eyes widened when she realized just how close Soma was to her, their foreheads mere inches apart. Her eyes met his golden ones in a clash that rendered her somewhat breathless. Again. "I'm sorry, Soma-kun, I didn't quite catch what you said - "

The runner up of the Autumn elections silenced her by gently placing his index finger on her lips, the intimate gesture leaving her gasping in surprise and embarrassment. She floundered, mentally grasping for a poise and calm she did not feel. Heat suffused her cheeks, rising straight up to the tips of her ears. If she was in a manga, Erina was sure that steam would have been shooting out from her ears by now. As it stood, she could only freeze unceromoniously and hand the reins of control over to the boy caging her in, his lean body a prison she might never want to escape from.

"Shhh, Erina. I'll like to speak my mind before I lose the courage to," Soma whispered, his breath hot against his cheeks, smelling mildly of the champagne they had shared during dinner. "I couldn't catch a wink of sleep yesterday night. I had too much to think about, too much to process. I also made a couple of calls to try to sort out my feelings, because I was a jumbled mess and I don't want to make any more mistakes when it comes to you."

Soma lowered his index finger slowly, his expressive eyes never once leaving hers. They were brimming with emotion, and Erina found herself helplessly caught within his smoldering gaze.

"I'm no expert when it comes to matters of the heart, but even an ignorant fool like me can't ignore something that's right in my face." The next words he said were something Erina will not forget in a hurry.

"I'm head over heels in love with you, Erina Nakiri."

* * *

The next chapter will be the first official chapter.

Until then!


	2. Chapter 1

Hi guys!

Thanks for the reviews, especially the few that pointed out how I mispelled Hisako :P Do feel free to let me know if I mispell anything or if there's any discrepancies; i'll go back and fix it as long as it's valid!

One more really **important** point. This story will be updated **WEEKLY ON SUNDAYS +8 GMT**. So basically, for Singaporeans, it's gonna literally be Sunday. If you're from another country, it'll be give or take a day at most! I uploaded this chapter earlier since I've finished the next chapter ahead of time, but I should always have at minimum, the following chapter ready every update. This is to ensure that I always have chapters to upload and keep to the promised schedule even if there's any unforeseen incidents that deter me from writing more Sorina goodness!

 **One more thing, if anybody is interested in being my Beta reader, drop me a PM! I would love to have someone read my story before I post it and let me know if I made any mistakes story and language-wise! thank you :)**

And, so enough of my rambling. Without further ado, enjoy!

 _This chapter is just laying of some groundwork, so there's no Sorina sorry pls don't kill me :(_

* * *

 _I don't understand why ojii-san wanted to change the Stagiaire to an Amazing Race. It's against his beliefs to mess with tradition._

 _He must really think that the Amazing Race is going to help the students better themselves then. Let's see how it turns out._

\- _Erina Nakiri's secret diary, October 10th_

* * *

Yukihira Soma was used to losing.

After all, he has lost 489 times and counting to his father, and he wasn't delusional enough to think that the number was going to stop there. he still had a long way to go if he wanted to achieve Saiba Jourichi's calibre of cooking, and by proxy, best him at the craft that had earned him the nickname of "Asura" during his days - an infamous title that has endured the inexorable passage of time till this very day.

With that being said, his impressively long history of losses didn't make him any better of a loser. On the contrary, he's probably the biggest sore loser alive.

Defeat left a bitter taste in his mouth, and he didn't need to be a particular God's Tongue to come to the conclusion that he simply didn't like it.

Sure, he understood that failure was the stepping stone to success. His father had drilled at least that much into him from the very beginning, the moment he had been old enough to wield a knife without endangering the people around him.

 _"You have to accept that people make mistakes sometimes, kiddo," Jourichi said, ruffling his son's unruly hair with obvious affection as Soma pouted and made a point to look everywhere else but his father. The concoction at the bottom of the cooking pot on the stove was blackened beyond recognition, though the slightly viscous texture and somewhat sweet scent hinted at a sort of syrup. "This might be your first, but I guarantee it won't be your last."_

 _"But you'll never mistake honey for oil, dad!" Soma wailed after a minute of silence, peeved that his father had stopped giving him any of his attention. What was the point of stewing in childish petulance when there wasn't an adult frantically trying to placate him?_

 _Jourichi paused in the middle of scraping away the burst honey at the basin to chuckle at his son's outburst, which only served to incense the smaller redhead further. "Stop laughing at me!"_

 _"Alright, alright. I'm sorry, Soma." His father set aside the pot and hunkered down next to his still-pouting son. "I'll never blame you for making mistakes in the kitchen. I might laugh, but that's all in harmless fun." He grinned widely when Soma glared at him and stuck his tongue out. "I'll only be disappointed if you made mistakes and didn't learn from them. After all, I've made a thousand and one back in my younger days."_

 _"Really?" Soma asked suspiciously, peering at Jourichi's smiling face in a bid to gauge his sincerity. He found nothing besides genuine honesty, but... his dad, making mistakes in the kitchen? He couldn't begin to imagine it._

 _His father's booming laugh echoed around the four walls of the kitchen. "Of course! I'm sure a couple of my old friends would be quick to bring up a few of them. Trust me when I say this, Soma. Mistaking honey for oil pales in comparison to the shi - uhm, stuff I pulled all those years ago."_

 _The younger Yukihara, still somewhat reticent to believe his father, harrumphed and folded his arms. "I wanna meet your friends."_

 _Jourichi smiled, but it was one that lacked its usual luster. He looked almost forlorn, glancing out the window to his left towards the hills that surrounded the Sumiredori shopping district. "Maybe one day, Soma," he replied non-commitally. "But until that day..."_

 _"Ow!" Soma complained, rubbing the sore spot on his head where the main chef of Yukihira Diner had hit him with his knuckle. "Dad!"_

 _"You have to get better at cooking. Then you might just get the chance to meet all of them." There was a note of melancholy in his voice, but it was gone so fast the young redhead thought he might have imagined it. "Remember what I said, Soma. I can't emphasize this enough. The Yukihara way of cooking is not to never make mistakes. It is and will never be about perfection. It's about learning every step of the way to constantly improve your cooking. If the only way to do so is through failure and making mistakes, then so be it. We just take everything in stride and continue moving forward. Understand?"_

 _His father hardly dished out advice, but even the young Soma of barely six was smart enough to realize that there was wisdom to those words. He acknowledged it quickly, seriously. "Yes, papa."_

 _"Wonderful!" Jourichi's face regained his usual cheer and with a boisterous clap, he got back to his feet. "Let's continue where we left off, then. Can't have us wasting any more time, can we? Try it again, Soma. We're not going to stop today until you get it right!"_

Groaning, Soma threw his arm over his eyes, obscuring his view of his dorm room's ceiling. What could he have done better? He had been so confident with his _Ojiya-style pacific saury takikomi gohan._ Maybe if he had refined his offering slightly more by researching deeper into different seafood dishes. Maybe if he had spent more time experimenting with the complex layers of flavors he was aiming for.

Maybe...

"Soma-kun?" A familiar feminine voice accompanied by three polite raps against his room door startled the redhead into a sitting position on his bed. "Sorry to disturb you, but Isshiki-senpai would like to have a talk with all of us in around 15 minutes. He says it's important that everybody attends!"

"Ah, thanks for the heads up, Tadokoro-san. I'll be down in a jiffy."

"Okay!" The affirmation was followed by a length pause, of which there was no sound of footsteps fading into the distance. As expected, the blunette asked hesitantly a second later, "a-are you okay, Soma-kun? You've been really quiet since the Autumn Elections."

Soma chuckled, silently thanking his friend for her earnest concern and unwavering support. He knew he could always count on Megumi if anything ever went wrong. "I'm good, Megumi. Don't worry about me. I just need some time to myself for a little while. Coming so close just to fail at the final hurdle... it takes some time to come to terms with it."

The door opened just the slightest bit, and the blunette peeked over the treshold (perhaps worrying that he might not be decent?) before stepping into the room with a warm smile that was pure Megumi Tadokoro. "Wanna talk about it?"

Did he? It will definitely do him only good to get certain things off his chest, and he knew that there was no better listener than the girl standing in front of him, tweedling her thumbs as she waited for a reply. There will be no judgement or condemnation from her either, and that's exactly what he needed. Mind made up, Soma patted the spot beside him on the bed in open invitation. "Sure, if you don't mind listening." He cocked his head to the side in confusion when the blunette blushed lightly. "What's wrong?"

"N-N-Nothing!" she hurriedly answered, taking the proferred seat beside him. The mattress sank a little at the addition of the new weight, and the hospitality chef tried to ignore just how close the redhead was to her. It was no easy feat. "Don't concern yourself with it."

Megumi laughed off Soma's blank expression nervously before taking a deep breath to compose herself. _Focus, Megumi! You're here to be a good friend, not act like a schoolgirl with a huge crush!_ "So? I'm listening."

"Ahh, I don't know where to start, to be honest." The normally spirited boy scratched the back of his neck in chagrin. "I went into the Autumn Elections with the sole intention of winning it. It'll give me a much better chance of getting the first seat of the Elite Ten in the future, and that's what I'm ultimately aiming for. Besides, I've made a promise to my father that I won't be losing any matches until I have my next rematch with him."

Megumi nodded, remembering Saiba Jourichi's short but fruitful visit to the Polar Star Dormitory to check on his son and evaluate his progress. Soma really did take after his father in many ways; how easy-going he was, his natural flair for innovative dishes and even that damnable habit of cooking horrible, demonic food that bordered inedible.

The blunette shuddered just thinking about the latest squid dish he had forced on her...

"I didn't expect to win against _tōsan,_ but I thought that with all I've learnt so far from Totsuki and living with everybody here, it'll have been a closer fight," Soma snickered, shaking his head at his naivety. "Guess I still have a long way to go, huh? My loss to Akira-san just makes it that much more obvious."

"Saiba-sama is on a totally different level compared to the rest of us," Megumi agreed pensively, thinking back to the vegetarian ramen he had made for the father-son Shokugeki that had left her feeling reinvigorated and refreshed despite a sleepless night. That man possessed culinary skills she couldn't even begin to imagine. "But I'm sure you barely lost to Akira-san. The judges were hard-pressed to come to a final decision - your dish was that good! Kurokiba-san is no push-over either, and you stood up to both of them!"

"I guess you're right. I just feel like I let my father down. I couldn't keep my promise." Soma fell flat on top of his bed, the familiar sight of his room's tiled ceiling in front of him once again.

"I'm sure Saiba-sama is proud of how far you've come, Soma-kun. Winning isn't everything, you know!"

"I know, I know. He told me that too."

"Perk up, then! Where's the Soma-kun I know that refuses to let himself get down? Where's the Soma-kun that helped me through my first few weeks in Totsuki, and gave me the strength and courage to stand up to Shinomiya-senpai and fight for my spot here because I _deserve_ one? This isn't like you and I want my friend back! I can't stand to see you wallowing in pity inside here everyday. Everybody in Polar Star is worried about you."

There was a lapse in conversation as Soma kept his silence, and Megumi was suddenly filled with fear of having overstepped her boundaries with that outburst of hers. Could she have offended him with her directness? Oh no, what if -

It was then that the redhead beside her started laughing. It was a sound of genuine amusement, and the blunette swiveled her head to regard her friend with widened eyes. What in the world was so funny? For a brief moment, she worried for his sanity, but when he finally met her probing eyes searching for any signs of defeat-induced madness, the twin pools were filled with mirth.

Mirth, and gratitude.

"Thank you, Tadokoro. I really needed that." Soma grinned, looking more like his usual self with that ever-present smile of his. "Time to wake up from my funk, huh? Damn, how long has it been? Three days? Four?"

"Four days. It's been awfully quiet around here without you." She wouldn't admit it out loud, but Megumi has also found herself missing his "creative" dishes. She definitely has a screw loose somewhere. "You sure you're fine now? I mean, just a moment ago - "

"Hai, I'm fine." Soma stood up and ran a hand through his hair as he headed to his wardrobe. "I guess I just needed someone to remind me that I'm not only fighting for myself. I'm also fighting for everybody I hold close to me, like everybody living under this same roof as me. My friends that I now consider family. I can't disappoint them by staying knocked down, can I?"

"Welcome back, Soma-kun," The aqua-haired girl said quietly in approval. She was heartened to see her friend back to his usual self. Watching him mope around for the large part of the past few days had left her feeling uneasy and strangely drained inside. The other residents seemed to share that same sentiment; Soma had always been one of the biggest contributors to the joyful and equable mood in the dorm. In a way, he was the heartbeat of Polar Star Dormitory. The very representation and essence of what it meant to be a resident of the infamous dormitory which had churned out more than a respectable number of chefs since its inception by Fumio-sama all those years ago.

Not having his affable self strolling down the halls drastically affected the dynamics in the place they called home.

"Okay, I'll see you downstairs in a little bit then, Tadokoro. Thanks for the talk. I really appreciate it."

Megumi refocused on the redhead to his trademark vacant expression. Her intended reply died on her tongue when the familiar look triggered several warning bells in the blunette's mind, but it was too late. That was all the warning Soma gave before he stripped to his undergarments in one swift movement (Did Isshiki teach him that move?!), inciting a strangled scream and a flurry of movement from Megumi as she tripped over her own feet twice in her haste to get out of the room, the redhead's chuckles echoing behind her and even in the hallway where she landed in an undignified heap.

"SOMA-KUUUUUN!"

* * *

"Alright, my precious _Kouhais,_ please listen closely. This is very important as it pertains to the next big test all of you are about to undergo in a week's time. Similar to the Totsuki Friendship and Rapport Training Camp, anybody that doesn't perform up to the expectations of the academy will immediately be expelled."

The seventh seat of the Elite Ten surveyed the room at his juniors with an uncharacteristically sober bearing. Thankfully, the equally sombre atmosphere wasn't undermined by Isshiki Satoshi's exhibitionistic tendencies as he was still fully clad in Totsuki's standard issue uniform. For better or worse, the 2nd year was rarely seen fully clothed, much less in his school uniform unless he had to perform certain duties as an Elite Ten member or attend a school function cum meeting. Most of the dormitory residents have come to the similar - and correct - conclusion that their senpai had rushed down to the dorm following the adjournment of an important meeting with urgent news.

That is, all but one Yukihira Soma, who was still busy racking his brain for new recipes to best Akira Hayama and get his revenge on the silver-haired boy for robbing him of his victory at the Autumn Elections. The Yukihira chef's head was propped up by the palm of his hand, his arm resting vertically on the table as he stared off into the distance, imagining the look of utter despair on Akira's face when he finally serves the dish that'll trounce the Spice Sultan himself. An image of a lumbering bear emerged for no discernible reason in his mind, and he frowned. Was this some kind of premonition?

He made a mental note to approach Yūki regardless and enquire about ways to prepare and cook bear meat. He had this inexplicable hunch that it might come in handy in the near future...

A nudge from his side had the redhead turning to regard the blunette by his side with an arch of his eyebrow. "Soma-kun, this is important," she whispered, tilting her head towards their upperclassman to indicate what Isshiki has been talking about. "Pay attention for a bit, 'kay?"

Soma grinned and gave her a mock salute, to which she just smiled and dismissed his goofiness with a slight shake of her head.

"... surprising news for you all. I was called into a last-minute meeting just this morning by Senzaemon-dono himself. It appears that there's a change of plans," Isshiki was saying as he stood up from his seat and strolled over to the windows overlooking the garden that was his pride and joy. "This is actually huge. I never thought that you guys will be the first batch subjected to this, but what's done is done. The executive decision was made just an hour ago, with the vote 7 to 3 in favor by the council. For what it's worth, I was strongly against this idea, but the others found it to be quite interesting and were very eager to get the ball rolling with the new test format."

"Anyway, I digress. Prior to this, first year students were all put through a particularly strenuous event called the _Stagiaire_ to weed out even more of the ill-prepared who cannot perform under stressful conditions. The word _Stagiaire_ is French for a multitude of meanings, but in this case, it's referring to a cook who works in another chef's kitchen. Like the definition suggests, all of you along with the rest of the cohort would have been split into pairs and assigned to different restaurants of varying degrees all over Japan to serve a short stint as employees under them. The ultimate goal of this activity would be to make a _difference_ during your tenure there that'll persist even after your departure. Lots of students falter at this particular stage as the prospect of working outside of their comfort zones and learning new cuisines in such a short time take their expected toll."

Zenji Marui, the academically inclined genius of the lot raised his hand. Soma did not miss the trembling of his hand, or how sunken his cheeks suddenly seemed to get. It was as if the boy had aged twenty years in a span of seconds at the thought of the physically-draining _Stagiaire_. "Isshiki-senpai, isn't it for the best that it was abolished then? I don't see how there can be anything worse than that."

Their upperclassman was smiling benevolently still when he answered the question, but his eyes were shadowed and words as sharp as a knife. "Now that's where you're wrong, Marui-chan."

The bespectacled boy gulped and shrank in his seat at the ominous sentence, reaching for the cup of water in front of him with shaky hands before draining it dry. "C-Can you elaborate? I'll like to mentally prepare myself for this."

"How familiar are you guys with an _Amazing Race_?"

Ryōko Sakaki, the maroon-haired girl visibly perked up. "I think I know! I used to be a huge fan of it back in my hometown and made it a point to catch it on television every week. It's basically a prolonged race, with multiple stations or pit-stops spaced out along the route. The team that arrives first at each pit-stop typically gets a significant advantage for the following leg in the form of a clue or an item that they can use when they need help. There's also a challenge of some sort that needs to be completed at each station! Teams are only allowed to leave upon completion of the activity. It can last for over a week, across states and even countries with various different forms of transportation from stop to stop. The first team that reaches the final destination will be declared the winner." She blushed faintly when she realized that everybody was staring at her with open mouths with the exception of Isshiki who was still smiling beatifically.

"And I thought you were only interested in _Kōji_." The quiet, teasing statement came from her left, the source none other than Shun Ibusaki, the Prince of Smoke himself.

"Ibusaki-kun!" Ryōko swatted at the auburn-haired boy in playful reprimand. "You're one to talk, smoke boy."

Soma couldn't quite make out Shun's eyes as his unruly bangs hid them from view, but there was an unmistakable lift to the side of his lips on the usually stoic boy's face. He blinked twice in disbelief. Shun was actually able to _move_ his facial muscles?

Isshiki coughed delicately into the palm of his hand when the two continued to regard each other with furtive smiles, as if sharing a secret only the two of them were privy of. The two snapped to immediate attention at that sound. "S-Sorry, senpai!" Ryōko said hurriedly, and Shun bowed his head to express his contrition.

Amusement shone in the brunette's emerald eyes, but he refrained from making any further comments. Instead, he nodded and continued right from where he had last left off. "That's right, Ryōko-chan! Well, partially anyway. I'm sure that the points you've stated are true for the American reality game show, but the one that Totsuki plans to do is going to be... slightly different. For starters, everybody participating will be split into pairs, and this challenge is meant to promote the importance of teamwork both in and out of the kitchen." Isshiki eyed his _kouhais_ and addressed the unspoken question. "Yes, you guys have probably connected the dots by now. The _Stagiaire_ is going to be replaced by an Amazing Race of the culinary arts."

There was a mixed reaction from the first year residents, but most of them were quite positive. Zenji was the only one who looked slightly faint and he excused himself a moment later, quoting an urgent need to use the toilet. Yūki was bouncing up and down in her cushioned seat (Soma suspected she needed it due to certain height reasons) with excitement while conversing animatedly with a clearly conflicted Megumi who was trying her best to calm her overeager friend down. Shōji Satō and Daigo Aoki were bickering once again with their fists raised, and Soma skipped over them entirely without so much as a blink, accustomed to the hot-headed pair's antics by now. Shun and Ryōko were having a hushed exchange of words, and the girl was using some expressive gestures to get her point across. The redhead couldn't tell if Shun was listening or asleep until he caught the auburn-haired boy nodding.

"They do seem to make a good pair, don't they?" Isshiki made his presence behind him known by whispering into his ear.

Soma turned to face the 7th seat and almost fell off his seat in shock when he found himself face to face with an all-too-familiar cartoon bear. "How do you always change into your apron so fast, Isshiki-senpai? I swear I just took my eyes off you for a mere second - "

"You flatter me, Soma-kun."

"That wasn't a compliment!"

Isshiki threw his head back and laughed, dismissing the remark with ease. "I'm glad to see that you're back to your old self, by the way. I was going to pay you a visit tonight, but I guess that's unnecessary now."

"I have Tadokoro to thank for that," Soma replied, glancing at the blunette who was no longer beside them but on the other side of the room with Yūki, the both of them a shade of crimson. The female pair was making it a point to look everywhere else but at the semi-nude Isshiki. "I'm ready to take on anything Totsuki throws at me. No matter what this Amazing Race entails for me, I'm going to finish in first place to make up for falling short at the Autumn Elections."

" _Us,_ Soma-kun."

"I beg your pardon?"

"What this Amazing Race entails for _us,_ " Isshiki amended with a twinkle in his eyes that the redhead couldn't quite read. "You're going to be paired up with a random first year student for this test, remember?"

Soma toyed with the white headband around his left wrist as he shrugged. "Oh, yes. I must have drifted off a little there." He grinned unrepentantly when Isshiki arched an eyebrow at him. "No matter, really. I'm going to win regardless of who I'm paired with. I just hope he or she's someone fun and interesting! Maybe I can learn some new techniques and skills too. Oh, that sounds really fun!"

 _"_ Don't worry, she's definitely _interesting._ "

"What's that, Isshiki?"

"Hmmm?"

"You said _she_ like you're sure that my partner's going to be female," Soma said, his head cocked to the side inquisitively. "Aren't our partners picked on random?"

"Ahh, of course, of course. My bad, Soma-kun. I'm just tired after an entire day at school." The seventh seat tried to keep the nervousness out of his laugh but even to him, it sounded awfully fake and brittle. Damn it, he was so bad at keeping secrets, especially from his _kouhais_! It's barely been an hour and he had already let something slip. He has to really up his game if he was to carry out his role in the plan properly. Thankfully, a glance at the redhead staring blankly back at him assured him that he had not let the figurative cat out of the bag yet. "Like I said, it's been agreed that the partners will all be picked on random. No worries."

Soma, of course, being denser than dates found on Craigslist, bought it hook, line and sinker. "Great, I was worried for a moment there. I thought for a moment there that you have a nefarious plan of some sort to set me up with a girl." He guffawed at that notion as if it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. "Must be all that James Bond movies I've been watching recently."

The two shared another laugh together, though the one that left Isshiki's mouth was decidedly more skittish. "I'm insulted, Soma-kun. I will _never_ do that to my precious underclassmen."

Nene Kinokuni's face popped up in his mind, the strict, unyielding _soba_ chef glaring at him. _Burn in Hell, liar!_

It spokes volumes about his mental stability when the voice of reason in his head resembled his fellow Elite Ten member and childhood friend. Oh well, all good chefs worth a grain of salt are kind of insane anyway.

Isshiki then took the chance to address everybody. He had to make a quick exit before he divulges any more crucial information. "Can I have your attention please?" The brunette only continued when all his underclassmen were looking at him curiously (or through the gaps between their fingers). "Sorry, but I am going to go and turn in for the night as I'm exhausted. The details of the Amazing Race will be finalized in two days, and then I'll give a more comprehensive run-down on it. Until then, I suggest going for a daily morning jog to improve your stamina! Okay, _oyamisu_!"

With that, he swiveled around and paying no heed to the high-pitched exclamations following his departure from the room, Isshiki Satoshi made his way back to his room.

He had an important phone call to make.

* * *

Aaaaand, that's a wrap!

So, our favourite Isshiki seems to be in on a plan to pair Soma with a certain female.. I wonder who that is? And who's the person who's orchestrating this entire thing? Hmmm..

As always, leave a review and let me know what you think! There'll be some Sorina goodness in the next chapter; do bear in mind that this is a pretty **_slow_** romance however, so there won't be any real progress until much later on in the story. I always get a little peeved when I read fanfics that have the two of them falling for each other after like two incidents, so it definitely won't be like that here. (Not to say those fanfics aren't charming in their own way, because they are really cute heh) Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Until next time.


	3. Chapter 2

Hullo!

As promised, a little bit of Sorina goodness. (though goodness might be pushing it a little bit...)

So, like I previously mentioned, this is a **SLOW ROMANCE**. They're not going to instantly fall for each other, considering they kind of have a pretty rocky past yeah? But trust me, you're gonna feel their relationship progress through the chapters.

Enjoy!

* * *

 _Where exactly does this boy hail from?! He is the most infuriating person I've ever met._

 _I mean, I know_ _everybody's_ _entitled to being stupid,_ _but he must be straight up abusing that privilege now._

 _-_ _Erina Nakiri's secret diary, October 11th_

* * *

"Erina-sama, it's about time for your 4p.m. client. Would you like to freshen up first? Mr. Kazaki called to inform that he'll be arriving shortly with his crew of chefs and new dishes for you to sample."

The tenth seat of the Elite Ten glanced up briefly from the paperwork she was handling to acknowledge her friend and aide's words before returning her attention to the ream of paper lying haphazardly across the table. "Thank you, Hisako. I'm decent as it is and can meet Mr. Kazaki the moment he's here. I just want to finish up some administrative matters first."

"If you don't mind me asking, Lady Erina, what is it that you've been doing since morning? Is it with regards to the changes made to the _Stagiaire_?"

"Indeed." The blonde clucked her tongue in annoyance, uncaring that it wasn't a sound a lady of her station should be making. Hisako was the only other person in the room anyway, and Erina trusted her fully to sometimes act the way she wanted to without having to worry about the possible repercussions to her image. And it was of utmost importance that she maintained her image of aristocracy and nobility in public.

After all, she was supposed to be _the_ God's Tongue, the one who stood above the rest with her impeccable taste and unrivaled culinary skills. Add the fact that she's a descendant of the infamous house of Nakiri to the mix, and you have quite the lethal combination. She was quite literally reclining on a pedestal so high and so grand, no mere mortal could ever hope to match up to her in his or her lifetime.

So, it was not without reason that she found the struggles of a certain red-headed commoner running a hole-in-the-wall diner to reach that impossible goal to be quite the eye-sore.

Not that she was worried, nuh-uh. No way. That plebian just amused her to no end with his unorthodox dishes and ridiculous antics. Much like a higher-being would regard insects going about their mundane lives, it was entertaining but so beneath her station that there wasn't any need to interfere at all. Sure, he might have triumphed over her cousin, Alice - which admittedly surprised her a little, for as strained their relationship might be sometimes, the white-haired vixen was still a chef of the highest pedigree – but it was no big deal. Just a minor hiccup along the way. He'll still be expelled soon enough.

It was a little weird how Yukihira Soma was constantly on her mind recently though...

The blonde attributed it all to how determined she was with kicking the second-rate chef out of the prestigious academy. _Her_ family's academy. Nothing more, nothing less.

"I'm still not quite sure why ojii-san was so adamant that it'll be a great idea and a necessary change, but he must have his reasons. I trust his judgement without reservation. Still, the paperwork that this last-minute change caused..." Erina lifted up the intimidating stack of papers in lieu of explaining. "It's... not the most encouraging."

The pinkette inclined her head in agreement. "That does seem a little bit excessive, Erina-sama. Would you like my assistance after the meeting?"

"That'll be much appreciated, Hisako. I don't think I can get it all done by tomorrow, and that's when all of these have to be submitted."

"Why can't you just hand some of them over to the other seats?"

The blonde shook her head stiffly. "All the second years have their hands full with other events. Rindou-senpai was chosen by ojii-san himself to be the head in-charge for the event, but you know how she shies away from all paperwork. It's a miracle that she even agreed to physically be there with us for the actual race."

Indeed, Hisako knew Rindou Kobayashi all too well. The second seat marched to the beat of her own drum and couldn't care less about the happenings in the academy unless they piqued her interest. And after spending three years in Totsuki, there's little that the third year has not seen or experienced on her own, hence her marked disinterestin pretty much _everything_. It was a testimony to her cooking skills that even with such a blatant disregard for the school rules along with the daily operations of the council and academy, she still managed to hold onto the second seat of the elite ten and be part of the handful of elite graduates from the 90th generation. It was rumoured that her cooking surpassed even that of Tsukasa Eishi, the current first seat...

"Let's not push our luck then, Erina-sama. You can count on me to help you with whatever you need."

"Thank you, Hisako." The smile that graced Erina's face had Hisako smiling too. The blonde smiled so rarely nowadays that the pinkette was starting to wonder if it was healthy for the tenth seat to be asked to shoulder the weight of her illustrious family name from such a young age. As her aide and secretary, Hisako was happy that Erina was maturing both as the successor of the Nakiri family and a chef, but the part of her that considered the blonde a friend was worried that she'll never be able to truly enjoy the finer, more _delicate_ nuances of life due to her childhood with her brute of a father and the belief he had drilled into her. She didn't seem all that bothered on the outside about missing out on all that, but Hisako had caught her on a couple of occasions just gazing out the Nakiri mansion's window at students milling around with a wistfulness that tugged at her heart strings.

Even the God's Tongue deserved to have some fun from time to time.

The pinkette forced herself to release her clenched fist. As much as she wanted to help her friend, she was there merely to support and bolster, not to dictate and force a change. She hoped for Erina's sake that someone else will come along and shake her world up in a way she would never permit herself to.

Little did she know that a wish made close to Christmas had a pretty high chance of coming true...

* * *

Early afternoon found Yukihira Soma fighting to stay awake through Miyazato-sensei's lecture as the bespectacled elderly man droned on and on about the different uses of seasonings. He had been quite interested in the beginning when he was talking about the origins of each seasoning and their evolution over time, but Miyazato-sensei lost the redhead entirely when he veered towards their molecular structures.

Theory classes were such a bore. It wasn't so much that the content being taught bore no relevance; it was quite the opposite, really. Every competent chef has to master the basics before anything else and such lessons were crucial. However, with close to a decade of experience cooking beside his father in a diner that served a plethora of dishes from with inspirations from different cuisines, Soma has come to understand the unique flavour each seasoning provides and how to utilize it to its fullest potential. He might not know if the molecular structure resembled that of a bicycle or table lamp, but he _did_ know the right amount of soy sauce to be drizzled over a dish, and that's all that mattered to him at the end of the day.

It came as no surprise that the practical lessons were Soma's favourite part of the day. The hands-on approach gave him much more freedom and room to practice and hone his craft. At the same time, he was afforded the chance to experiment with new ideas and alternative ingredients to discern their feasibility. Sadly, with the margin for error getting increasingly small as the semester drew on, he wasn't able to do that as much as he was used to.

But that's what the Polar Star Dormitory was for, he thought with a smile.

It was as if his neighbour sensed the direction of his thoughts and glanced over at him uneasily. "Soma-kun, did you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

I don't know, I just felt weirdly apprehensive all of a sudden." Megumi looked around her quickly with a frown before turning back and apologizing to him. "I was probably just overthinking again. Sorry, Soma-kun."

"Don't worry about it, Tadokoro." Soma yawned and executed a full stretch before smiling at the blunette. "Actually, do you have any plans after class?"

Megumi paused in her note-taking to peer at him with guileless eyes. "Nope, why?"

"Wanna follow me to the Don RS? I did some research yesterday night and there's some new dishes I'll like to try my hand at. Would you taste 'em for me?"

The port chef dropped her pencil at that, her face losing some of its usual color. "A-Are any of your dishes... _squid_ -inspired by any chance?"

"No, no, nothing of that sort." Soma agilely caught the pencil as it slid off the table and handed it back to the pale blunette, who accepted it stiffly. He tapped a finger against his chin pensively afterwards, missing how his friend blew out a huge sigh of relief. "Actually, now that you mention it, I'm sure I can use squid to enhance the - "

"Don't trouble yourself, Soma-kun!" Megumi interrupted hurriedly, her voice an octave higher than usual. She blushed when the redhead regarded her with a bland look. "I m-mean it's really not necessary. I'm sure your recipes will taste fine without any of those... tentacles."

If Soma had paid more attention, he would have caught how Megumi shivered slightly when saying that last word. But he was Yukihira Soma, so that reaction went unnoticed. "Whatever you say."

At that instant, the bell rang, signalling the end of the last period. Miyazato-senpai paused in the middle of his words to slide a look of disdain towards the classroom door, as if miffed by the intrusion before sighing and removing his spectacles. "That's it for Seasoning 101 today, then. Class dismissed."

The room emptied out in a matter of seconds as the students poured out into the corridors. Soma, having not brought anything to class, stood up and slid his hands into the pockets of his school jacket as he waited for his friend to keep her stationary and books. It occured to him a moment later that all the ingredients he had purchased were still at the Polar Star Dormitory and he needed to go and retrieve them before heading to the Don RS.

"Hey Tadokoro, I gotta go and get the ingredients from our dorm first. Catch you later at the Don RS?"

The blunette nodded in acquiescence as she secured the straps of her bookbag. "Sure, Soma-kun. I'll see you later. I wanted to talk to Miyazato-senpai about some things first, anyway."

Whistling under his breath, Soma walked out of the class and headed towards the parking facilities where he had left his scooter in the morning. When he got there, however, he was met with a bizzaire sight that had him scratching his head. The entire parking lot for bikes was a sea of blue. It would seem as if all the bike owners had agreed on using an identical blue tarp to shelter their beloved vehicle from the weather today.

And that led to the million dollar question: _which_ tarp was his scooter under?

He couldn't recall exactly where he had parked his scooter. He had been in a rush this morning because of his misplaced helmet, which he had eventually found under Zenji's bed. Weirder things have happened before though, so Soma hadn't thought much of it and rushed to school, barely making it in time for his first lesson.

Now, he wished he had paid slightly more attention to the strip of empty asphalt his scooter was resting on.

As he went about the endless rows of blue, peeking underneath each waterproof sheet, he caught a glimpse of yellow out of the corner of his eye. He straightened and waved to the familiar blonde who was texting on her phone. "Yo, Nakiri."

The tenth seat of the Elite Ten yelped, almost dropping her phone in surprise. She juggled the falling device between her two hands for a little before grasping it safely against her chest. "Yukihira! Don't scare me like that, and don't greet me so casually like you know me very well!"

The glare Erina sent his way would have sent lesser men packing for the hills, but Soma merely looked on with a smile, totally unfazed. "Are you going home?" he asked, paying no heed to her remonstrations in typical infuriating Yukihara style.

The blonde pocketed her phone and harrumphed. She will not let this lowly commoner get a rise out of her. "Do not concern yourself with business of others when you can't even solve your own problems."

Soma chuckled softly at her reply, which grated against her nerves in the worst way. He wasn't supposed to find what she said _amusing!_ It was supposed to get him angry and upset, causing him to throw a tantrum and hurl vulgarities at her. Then she could sue him for harrassment, effectively ending his career as a chef.

Not that it ever started, of course. She will never consider the irritating vermin in front of her a legitimate chef.

"... help me look for it?"

"Pardon me?" What was that? There's no way she heard him right. It sounded as if he had asked her for _help._ As in, lend him assistance. Like, doing him a favour. Even he couldn't possibly be _that_ dense, could he?

The sheepishly ignorant expression on his face convinced her otherwise. "I can't find my scooter. Would you mind helping me look for it?"

Erina Nakiri gaped at the redhead, who was looking awfully optimistic and expectant. As if he was fully convinced that she was going to agree and get straight to helping him with the ridiculously degrading task of locating his _scooter_.

 _I will not get angry at him. He is not worth my time, nor my anger. Calm down, Erina._

"I will say this just once, Yukihira Soma, so listen carefully," the heiress said with deliberate slowness, as if talking to a mentally handicapped child. Or a Yukihira chef. "I do not _like_ you, and I cannot wait to kick you out of this esteemed academy the moment I am able to. However, I am assured that the curriculm of Totsuki was created to filter the inferior from the superior, and it will only be a matter of time before your third-rate tendencies will be exposed. I won't even have to lift a finger to toss you to the streets, where you belong. Do you understand me?"

Soma blinked once, then twice. And then a whole lot of times in quick succession. He stared at her as if truly seeing her for the first time. It was so unnerving that Erina felt herself blush despite herself, and she fought to meet his piercing gaze. "W-W-What are you looking at, you idiot?"

The redhead folded his arms and shook his head tiredly, as if fed up from dealing with her. That got her eye twitching quite erratically as her blood pressure started rising. _Calm, Erina. You are the water in the river as it flows down the stream. You are -_

"So I assume that that's a no then? I really don't understand you sometimes."

And Erina swore a blood vessel in her temple exploded right there and then. "Y-Y-You... sorry excuse of a man! You ignorant, pitiful mongrel! You chauvinistic pig!" The blonde found herself stalking towards Soma before she even realized it. She only stopped when she was face to face with him, though she had to tip her head up slightly to look him in the eye as he was a head taller. She could barely hear anything – the blood rushing to her head was the only roar in her ears.

The redhead was obviously surprised by her actions, if his parted lips were any indication. Frankly, so was she. She would usually never behave in such a demeaning fashion, but as she has come to learn, all bets were off when Yukihira Soma was involved. This boy just had a way of burrowing under her skin and pissing her off to heights she never thought possible.

"I'm going to give you a chance to apologize now for being an insufferable idiot. For forcing me to behave beneath my station. For making me walk over to _you_."

Soma appeared so painfully confused, it was almost comical. Except that Erina was in no mood to laugh right now. In fact, she kind of wanted to punch the nearest object.

A couple of times.

With a kitchen cleaver.

In the left chest pocket.

And if Yukihira Soma just happened to be that unfortunate object nearby, well, too bad for him.

"Uhh... sorry?"

"With more _sincerity!_ "

Soma took a step back, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all. "Look here, Nakiri. If you don't want to help me find my scooter, just say so. I'll be totally fine with it. No hard feelings. There's no need to go to this extent, you know? This is just borderline weird now."

The blonde gritted her teeth, fighting the compulsion to knee him where it hurts. She did take a step forward, however, and the threat must have shown in her posture because Soma took another step back warily. He was _impossible!_ What sin must she have committed in her past life to deserve even a second's worth of interaction with him?!

"Erina-sama? Why are you still here? And... who's that with you?" Hisako's voice called out and Erina gasped, only just becoming aware of how compromising her current position must appear to an outsider. She immediately took a few steps backwards, and the warning from the boy in front of her came a tad too late. Her shoes got caught in one abnormally long end of a tarp, and the tenth seat went tumbling backwards onto her bottom in the most undignified of manners.

"Erina-sama!" Her ever-steady aide rushed over to her side with concern. "Are you alright?"

The blonde nodded wordlessly to reassure her friend, and even from her position on the ground, pegged Soma with a withering glare that promised a thousand years of pain. "Let's go Hisako. I do not wish to remain in the presence of this _ape_ for another second longer."

The pink-haired girl was obviously curious, but she held her tongue in check. She helped Erina to her feet quickly, but not before she narrowed her eyes at Soma. She wasn't as hostile towards him as the heiress, but he clearly wasn't in her good books either. He wisely forced down his offer to help and just watched as the female duo made their way off, Hisako walking a respectful distance away from Erina, but not too far away to be unable to leap to her rescue in case the wobbly blonde's feet gave way again.

"Oh, and Yukihira?" The tenth seat's words were as sharp as ice.

"Yo."

"Keep this incident to yourself. If word ever got out about it..." Erina didn't even bother turning around as she uttered the next few arctic cold words. "I'll make whatever time you have left here a living hell."

With the threat hanging in the air, Erina and Hisako marched off towards the waiting limousine that seemingly materialized out of nowhere. Soma observed impassively as the luxury car drove off, no doubt towards the Nakiri mansion.

"Man," he muttered to himself as he trod over to the tarp that had tripped the Totsuki princess in the first place, "that girl really has a knack for dramatics, huh? I wonder why she was so angry. It's not like – oh, hey! There you are, buddy. You sure play a mean game of hide-and-seek!"

Underneath the culprit for Erina's graceless stumble stood Yukihira Soma's scooter in all its white and blue glory.

* * *

Aaaand, cut!

Uh oh, that's not the best of starts huh? Oh well, that just means there's a long way to climb for the two of them! ;)

So, this was a really enjoyable chapter to write. Conversation between Soma and Erina flowed so easily for me (by conversation, I mean banter and insults) I literally was able to envision this happening in my mind. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

And now, for your lovely reviews...

 _darktatsu:_ thank you so much for pointing those out! i've made the changes already, so let me know if i make any of those small mistakes :P

 _w33hong_ : yes, i'm from singapore! i assume you are too?

 _hinate:_ yep, weekly updates for sure! thanks for the support.

 _LeoPK:_ i intend to get shinomiya in somewhere during this test, so no worries about that!

Special shout-out to thedeathbringer779 for informing the mistakes I made on jourichi's name. Thanks for your help!

So, see you guys next week. As always, leave a review and tell me what you think. Until then!


	4. Chapter 3

Hello, long chapter this time round. Hope you guys enjoy! Author's note will be below.

* * *

 _Tomorrow's the day of the draw! I'm not too happy that I might not be able to partner up with Hisako, but it's a welcome change, I guess. I'll get to work with other people, and even though they are going to be below my stature, I just have to get along with them. It's not going to be THAT bad right? I mean, nobody can be worse than that Yukihira fella. Just writing his name here makes me feel like he's violating my personal space. There's no way I'm going to get him as my partner, right? I mean... what are the chances?_ _Urgh! It's okay, Erina. Don't think about him. Just focus on completing this race. He's probably not even going to be here when you're back because he'll be expelled by then! Yes, that's right. Positive thoughts only._

\- _Erina Nakiri's secret diary, October 12th, 1:34a.m._

* * *

Tsukasa Eishi sat in the dark, eyeing his immaculately spotless desk critically. He had just finished tidying up his office – a task taking a little over three hours – but one could never be too sure. Maybe he had missed a speck of dust somewhere and that was wholly unacceptable. The perfectionist within him will never settle for anything less than flawless.

This place was his sanctuary, and he will not let it be defiled by grime of any sort. His attention to detail and pursuit for perfection carried over from his cooking onto every aspect of his daily life, which is pretty evident in his actions and his living spaces. Some might call him a neurotic control freak, but he liked to consider himself conscientious and thorough with all his ministrations.

The air-con worked around the clock to keep his office at the perfect temperature. It was pre-set to turn off automatically after exactly a quarter of an hour for four minutes before switching itself on again. This ensured it kept the room cool without ever venturing into polar territory, like some of the classrooms in Totsuki. He shivered just thinking about what effects that would have on the food being prepared.

In addition, the furniture of the first seat of the Elite Ten has not seen the light of day since his inception as the head of the council, what with the curtain binds being permanenetly utilized, the windows tightly sewn shut. Better safe than sorry, he reasoned, as just the thought of foreign particles being carried by the wind into the room was enough to make him feel uneasy and on the verge of having a panic attack.

Eishi would much rather take his chances with a certain red-headed second seat that'll go on tirelessly about the lack of air circulation and how gloomy the room was.

A couple of minutes and a strict inspection later, the silver-haired senior nodded to himself in satisfaction. The room was pristine, if he would say so himself. Every nook and cranny was cleared of -

"EISHI-CHAN, ARE YOU IN THERE?"

Eishi froze like a deer in headlights at the familiar feminine voice trying to raise the dead, accompanied by a few sharp raps on the door. It only grew in volume as the second seat tried to get him to acknowledge her, in case he had his earphones plugged in. He kept absolutely silent in the middle of the room where he was surveying his handiwork just seconds ago, willing the redhead to go away. _Not right now,_ he uttered a prayer to the Gods above, _at least let me enjoy the clean room for a day..._

"Huh. He must be out."

Eishi kept his fingers crossed, hardly daring to breathe as his eyes burned a hole through the suddenly too-fragile wooden door separating him from the she-devil. A beat of silence, and then the first seat heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps receding from his office. He let out the sigh of relief he was holding in. _That was close. I thought for a moment there she was going to kick down the door or something._

He was about to retreat back to his desk when he heard the footsteps return, this time much faster and _louder_ than before, as if the person in question was gaining speed while moving towards -

That was all the warning Eishi got before the door to his office quite literally flew open, the hinges barely holding on with an audible groan. The first seat watched with dread as the force of nature known as Rindou Kobayashi waltzed right on in with a toothy grin, leaving a figurative trail of dust in her wake. She was deceptively casual as she strode over to the only couch in the room and plopped onto it, making herself comfortable. "Good morning, Eishi-chan!" the redhead greeted cheerfully, as if her over-the-top breach into his office was nothing out of the ordinary. "Fancy meeting you here!"

Eishi sighed wearily as he made his way over to the doorway to inspect the damage. "Good morning to you too, Rindou-san."

"Why the long face? Aren't you happy to see me? It's been close to _eleven_ hours since you last interacted with me!"

"And I'll have liked to keep it that way."

"You're no fun, Eishi-chan!"

The silver-haired boy ignored the pout she sent his way, prodding the askew door gingerly with the tip of his shoes. It took that chance to announce its departure from the world of living with a squeaky groan before toppling over onto the ground with a resounding _bang._ Another sigh escaped from his lips, and Eishi pointed at the open doorway. "That's coming out from your next month's budget, Rindou-san."

"But I'm broke!"

"Hence, I said _next_ month."

"I'm going to Africa again, and it's gonna cost me close to my entire budget," Rindou said, fluttering her eyelashes at him. "You won't want me to live in the slums while I'm there, would you? Think of all the things that might happen to me! I might get robbed, kidnapped, or even worse, have my vir - "

"No, you're not going to Africa," Eishi interrupted her as he knelt down and inspected the carnage his conversation partner caused. Nothing in particular seemed salvageable, but he'll get a second opinion anyway. "You have a particular event to oversee, remember?"

He couldn't see Rindou as he was busy lifting the ruined door – or whatever was left of it – to rest at an angle against the frame of the entrance, but her tone of voice conveyed her surprise as well as – if not better – than the expression on her face. "You actually know about the race? You weren't even there at the vote!"

The first seat shuddered, thinking back to the reason why he couldn't attend the meeting. The air of confidence he carried with him vanished in an instant, to be replaced by a dark and oppressing aura Rindou had grown to understand as an inevitable by-product of his pursuit of cooking perfection. "I was gracing the opening of a new restaurant as one of the guests of honour. Apparently, one of the managers are on good terms with the Nakiri family and pulled some strings. They requested for me to have an impromptu face-off with their main chef as a sort of publicity stunt." Eishi held his head in his hands, the cloud of gloom floating above him so thick it was almost palpable. "The cooking facilities were less than satisfactory, however. I was so nervous! What if the fluctuating temperature affected the quality of my food? What if one of the waiters served my dish without following my exact instructions? What if - "

Rindou snapped her fingers, the sharp sound jarring the first seat and stopping his mindless rant midway. "Blah, blah, blah. What did I say about acting _that_ way around me again, Eishi?"

"B-But, you have to understand, Rindou-san," Eishi pleaded, gesticulating wildly as if he could somehow paint a picture of the poorly-equipped kitchen with just his hands. "It was _horrible._ The water from the tap was tepid, the air-conditioning unit was on full blast the entire time, and - "

"And Rindou-chan doesn't care." The redhead finished his sentence for him, folding her arms with disapproval. "Snap out of it, Eishi, before I do _that_ to you again."

The first seat paled considerably at the threat. He cleared his throat and stood up, seemingly regaining his poise with each stride he took away from the door and towards his desk. Rindou smiled like a smug cat as her eyes remained locked onto Eishi until she was sure that every last trace of his alter-ego was locked away once again.

Oh, she could tell. She could read the first seat like the back of her palm.

It wasn't so much that she disliked Eishi's other side. She respected his exceptional culinary skills – you can't earn the alias of White Knight of the Table and the first seat of the Elite Ten if you were just _good_ at cooking – and there was no doubt that he would not be able to achieve such heights if not for the perfectionist within him. It just _irritated_ her to no end that he gave in to that side of him all the time and over the smallest of details.

She liked the confident and easy-going Eishi Tsukasa. He was easy to tease and poke fun at. Sadly, those moments were the highlights of her days in Totsuki, what with graduation looming and there being nothing left for them to do.

The alter-ego? Not so much.

That side was about as interesting as a streetlight on the sidewalk.

"So, Rindou-san. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit to?"

The redhead slanted a glance at the desk where Eishi was now sitting. He had removed his jacket and it rested on the back of his chair, his glacier white eyes focused solely on her.

Rindou clapped her hands together with a smirk. "Ahh, all business now, are we? And I thought we could mess around a little bit more before getting serious."

"I have a lot of paperwork to finish today thanks to a certain someone" - a sharp look at the redhead which elicited nothing but a blink, her face carefully neutral - "and I'll like to get it done before the day's over."

"Ahh, it can't be helped then. If it's for that certain someone, I won't want to stand in your way." Her lips curved cheekily. "I'm here for one simple reason, actually. I just wanted to know if Senzaemon-dono let you in on his... _plan_ too."

There was a brief moment of silence as the first seat regarded her with an intensity that got even her squirming a little uncomfortably in her seat. For all his faults and flaws, nobody could accuse Eishi of being dense. The silver-haired boy was remarkably astute; nothing was able to be slipped past him if he was paying attention.

And it was that very nature that was on display when his icily cool eyes narrowed the smallest of margins. "It's not that I don't trust you, Rindou-san, but you're going to have to be more exact with your question if you want to get a proper answer from me."

Rindou raised her hands up, palms out to show that she wasn't the least bit offended. "I expected as much. After the vote was passed..." she paused and cocked her head towards him. "Wait. You weren't there, so you didn't even cast a vote?"

"I was the one who suggested the change in format. The Stagiaire was getting too stale for my liking. It's a tradition, I understand, but we have to keep up with the changing times as well."

"That explains it. Your vote was automatically in favour of it."

Eishi nodded, motioning with his hand for her to continue.

"Where was I?" The redhead licked her lips and looked to the ceiling pensively. "Ah, yes. I pestered Senzaemon-dono to take me off the managing committee after the meeting. I didn't want the responsibility and all that jazz, you know. But that man is as relenting as a mountain unless you're his two most beloved granddaughters. And even though I'm every bit as beautiful as them or even more so than them" - this earned an eyebrow raise from Eishi, and she ignored the patronizing reaction in lieu of continuing her story - "it was apparent he wasn't going to budge and that I was going to be part of the committee regardless of what I say. However, if there's one thing that I've learnt from my time here, it's to make the best out of whatever situation you're in."

Rindou stood up and started inspecting the awards and certificates that lined the walls of the first seat's office, clearly restless from sitting for a prolonged period of time. The silver-haired senior followed her movements with an eagle eye, just in case she decided to pull any of her shenanigans again. "I told him that I'll do my job only if he gives me something equal in value in return. It doesn't have to be much, just an object or an increase in my budget... or a tasty _secret_."

Eishi looked on impassively. "And?"

"He didn't want to at the start, no. Something about being worried that I won't be able to keep my mouth shut." Rindou swiveled her head from where she was scrutinizing a wok-shaped trophy he had won from his first cooking competition as a freshman in Totsuki to pout at him. "Me, divulging a secret? Can you believe him, Eishi-chan? I'll _never_ be so careless to do that! Can you recall even one occasion where I couldn't keep a secret?"

Before he could open his mouth and contradict the redhead – he didn't have nearly enough fingers to count the number of times she had unknowingly ran her mouth - she was by his side in a flash with her hand cupping his mouth. "Don't answer that if you know what's good for you."

As quickly as she had appeared by his side, she was back at his trophy cabinet, peering through the glass curiously. "He gave in to my charms after awhile though. They always do. So I'm now aware of how he wants to play matchmaker. How interesting, huh? His very own granddaughter with the new transfer student. I've always found that Yukihira fella interesting. His cooking is a breath of fresh air, and I hear he's been causing quite a stir already among the first years. This piece of information is actually making me really excited for the race."

"Rindou-san, I trust you realize that I might not actually be privy to that secret? And you literally just told me _everything?_ "

The redhead winked at him. "But you see, I'm almost ninety-nine-percent sure that you know. You are Senzaemon-dono's most trusted council member anyway."

The first seat sighed wearily. "I'm not sure that he made the right decision in telling you, but now that we're all in the same boat, I guess it's partially my duty to ensure that you don't go around telling everyone about it. You're right, I do know, along with a handful of the Elite Ten he explicitly trusts. He won't explain to me why exactly, but he said it's to help Erina's progression as a chef. The draw will be televised live to all students tomorrow after the announcement earlier in the morning, and as he's personally drawing the names himself, he can rig it to happen the way he wants."

The second seat grinned widely in unbridled glee. "I can't wait, Eishi-chan. This is going to be _fun."_

Eishi shrugged. "Just do your job well, Rindou-san. You did make Senzaemon-dono a promise."

"Oh, don't worry about that." Rindou waved her hand dismissively in the air as she made her way to stand in front of him. Her smile was pure teeth. "When have I not given my absolute best?"

* * *

The Shiomi seminar was getting a little bit too lively recently for Akira Hayama's tastes.

With the official closure of the Autumn Elections, the two runner-ups have been making it a point to visit the club at least once or twice a week to compare new recipes, bounce ideas off each other and engage in even more cook-offs to determine who's the more competent chef of the two, and hence truly deserving the second place finish. Their passion for improvement was contagious, and the usually stoic and reserved Akira found himself caught up in their antics and arguments on more occasions than he'll care to admit, even joining in on yet another 3-way Shokugeki once when taunted by the redhead for being nothing but a "spicehead". Of course, it hadn't ended in the most conclusive of manners; each of them insisted their dish was the best, and coupled with Jun's insistence to _not_ taste anything made by a Yukihira chef for the rest of her life, they weren't able to secure an impartial party to make the final verdict. Still, it was a constant reminder that even though on paper that he had won, it was by no means an easy victory and resting on his laurels was not an option.

Ryo Kurokiba and Soma Yukihira were nothing but relentless, nipping at his heels at every turn as the three of them fought in a dogged race for that coveted seat on the Elite Ten. They all had their reasons for reaching the top, but at the end of the day, only one of them would be able to get it.

Akira wanted it to be him to repay the faith Jun had placed in him, all those years ago when she had adopted him and gave him a place to call home.

That woman in question was right then snoozing on the sofa in a somewhat awkward posture, her body reclining diagonally across the cushioned back of the furniture. A heavy-set book titled "Exotic Spices in Asia" sat on her lap, the only evidence that she had probably dozed off in the middle of research. Her glasses were slightly askew from where they rested on her button nose, a dribble of drool meandering down her soft cheeks. Akira breathed out an exasperation-tinged sigh, but a small smile took its place on his lips a moment later; an almost unconscious reaction that he never gave much thought towards. He walked over and righted the slight teacher into a more comfortable position before setting the book down on the table in front of the divan. He took care of the drool with a quick swipe of his thumb, careful not to wake the slumbering woman.

He briefly wondered how it was possible for Jun to sleep through the din in the kitchen, then chalked it towards exhaustion for spending too many nights in a row researching on new, uncommon ingredients.

On quiet and nimble feet, the winner of the Autumn Election walked out of Jun's private study and rejoined the two bickering boys in the kitchen, making sure to shut the door firmly behind him to block as much noise as possible. She needed all the rest she can get.

"Oi, Hayama! What do you think about black pepper in an Asian stir-fry dish? I'll like to spice this chicken dish up a bit, but black pepper just doesn't seem to have the desired effect."

Akira strode by the redhead chef towards the sink to wash his hands, noting with amusement that he was holding up the bottle of condiment up towards the light filtering through the window and peering at it as if scrutinizing it would give him the solution to his dillema. Ryo was glaring (or maybe just looking, he could never be sure when it came to the sully guy, especially when he had his bandana tied on his forehead) at Soma, his hands folded across his chest.

"Black pepper isn't very spicy," Ryo asserted in a half bark. "You're better off with chilli padi."

"On the contrary, Kurokiba, black pepper provides a more complex flavour whereas chilli padi will only gives an overwhelming spice without any additional tone. If you're looking to just up the spice of the dish, chilli padi might be a good choice, but I'm sure there's better spices out there that'll suit what you're making better." Akira looked up from the sink where he was soaping up his hands. "Tell me more, Yukihira."

"It's something I was working on yesterday at Don RS with Megumi." Soma pointed towards the prepped ingredients at the side, consisting of different coloured bellpeppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, sliced chilli and _choy sum_. The chicken was separated into different parts, though it appeared as if he was going to focus on the thigh and breast meat, with the former being cut up into thick, juicy slices and the latter shredded into small pieces. "It's a relatively simple garlic stir-fry with chicken and an assortment of vegetables, but it tastes fantastic. Only thing I can think of to heighten the taste is to add another dimension to it, as it's good with the sliced chilli, but I feel like it's lacking something _more_. I've experimented with a couple of other spices like paprika and even oregano, thinking it might work, but it just doesn't have that effect I'm looking for."

Akira wiped his hands dry on a towel and hummed thoughtfully. "I can't say for sure what'll work best since I haven't tried it, but you could consider ground white pepper or coriander seeds. White pepper has a different flavour profile from black pepper. It's more complex, yet subtle, unlike black pepper which is very in-your-face with the punch. It complements well with garlic and the sweetness of the bellpeppers and _choy sum._ Coriander seeds should be your best bet. The subtle citrus flavour with the warm and nutty tang will bring out the chicken and blend well with most of the ingredients there, though you might want to lay off on the tomatoes if that's the case."

"Coriander seeds." Ryo nodded in approval, the long bangs of his hair swaying back and forth with the movement. "That's perfect."

"Man, you really are the Sultan of spice, Hayama!" Soma laughed heartily, patting the silver-haired boy on the back. He took a step away in annoyance, but that did nothing to dampen the redhead's cheery mood. "Thanks for that tip. I'll be sure to credit this dish to you when it wins me the Amazing Race."

"Not if I win it before you."

"It's my win this time, idiots." Ryo eyed both of them with steely intent. "Watch as I leave you two in my dust."

Soma chuckled. "That's all fine, but we don't even know our partners yet. Who knows? I might even be paired with one of you."

Akira shook his head. "That would be a travesty."

Ryo growled in agreement.

"Anyway, it's almost time for the telecast. Won't wanna miss the draw now, would we?"

The trio nodded and hastened out of the kitchen, but not before the silver-haired host gestured to keep their noise level down. Ryo whipped off his bandana now that there wasn't any cooking involved, and Soma trailed behind the other two as they made their way to the living area where the wide-screen television was.

The broadcast was already underway when Akira finally got it switched on – he wasn't familiar with how to operate it as he hardly watched it anyway – though thankfully, the draw hasn't begun yet. Instead, a female red-haired student in the standard Totsuki uniform was talking animatedly about how she couldn't wait for the race as it's going to provide the students with a rare opportunity to travel overseas in search of new cooking techniques and cuisine.

"Who's that girl?" Soma asked. "She looks like a cat."

Akira and Ryo both levelled him with a look that informed him he's an idiot of unprecedented levels.

"That, Yukihira, is the second seat of the Elite Ten, Rindou Kobayashi. She specializes in exotic food from faraway lands. You'll do well to remember that name, she's going to be the head of the committee ensuring that the race goes smoothly. You're going to see a lot of her, I bet," Akira answered, keeping his eyes on the TV as the female redhead hopped about on screen, full of energy. "She's... _infamous_ for her eccentricities and zany personality. A real wild card, that girl."

Soma nodded furiously. "Oh, I see. I bet the food she cooks will taste really good and interesting!"

Akira sighed. "That's kind of implied since she's the _second_ seat, Yukihira."

"Ah, but the difference is that the food she cooks isn't going to be the normal fare you typically get. Not only does that mean it's cool and different, it's still going to taste good!"

"Kurokiba, help me out here."

"Don't drag me into this." Ryo's focus was entirely on the television.

Soma gave the slightly irked Akira a goofy smile. "Don't you agree with me, Hayama?"

Nakiri Senzaemon's huge frame appeared in front of the television then, saving the silver-haired boy from saying something he might regret. The three students immediately sat up straighter, almost as if the director of the school was actually in front of them and demanding nothing less but their full attention with his commanding presence. He was standing behind the wide expanse of his mahogany desk, his impressive physique covered by the olive _yukata_ he always wore, a stern and tense expression on his face.

Soma had visited Senzaemon-dono's office once before, and the usual stationary and personal belongings on the table were removed to make space for the monstrous-sized glass box sitting atop it at the moment. As he has come to learn, the Food's Demon King never pulls his punches when it comes to matters pertaining to the cooking academy he had started from the ground. Everything was planned perfectly down to the smallest details, each aspect grand and eye-catching in a way that still made him gape in awe every now and then.

"A good afternoon to all the students of Totsuki watching the broadcast right now. I hope that everybody is doing well and are ready to embark on the next phase of your time in this institute, for it is scheduled to begin in just 3 days. As most of you should have heard by now, this time of the year is when the first year students usually head out on the gruelling _Stagiaire_ , a part of the essential training to make everybody better chefs by working in established restaurants or diners all over Japan. Students will be split into pairs and sent to different establishments by random to pick up skills and experience they will be hard-pressed to learn anywhere else. During this time, students will be judged based on their ability to adapt and improvise to situations as well as handle the stress of working in an entirely new environment under strangers. Those who are unable to keep up will be expelled as they do not have the pedigree to make it in this cut-throat industry."

The Nakiri elder laid a hand on the glass box, where a sizable pile made of balled-up paper could be seen at the bottom of it. "This year, however, there's been a bit of an alteration. After discussing with the Elite Ten council, we have come to an agreement that it's time to abolish that tradition to keep up with modern times. The food industry is always changing and shifting, and we have to do so as well to stay relevant. With that being said, three days from now, on the 15th of October, the _Amazing Food Race_ will officially commence. Due to time constraint, I will only briefly cover the some of the rules I think everybody should be aware of prior to the race. The comprehensive set of rules will be available for browsing at your leisure on the student portal."

"Similar to the _Stagiaire_ , the first years will be split into pairs for the duration of this race. You will be spending the next month or so with your partner, travelling across the world through multiple countries, following the trail we have left for you to follow. There will be multiple stations in each country with different sets of cooking challenges related to their respective local cuisines. You will be tested on multiple fronts; this is an Amazing Race after all. Some challenges might seem absurd, bearing no relevance to cooking whatsoever, but it's to help develop you further as an individual. A chef without any personality or guiding values will never reach the top, and this challenge will only make that more glaringly obvious."

"Every pair will be given a single satellite phone for use in case of emergencies. However, be warned – depending on the reason for your extraction, you and your partner may be expelled for failing to finish the race by your own means. Use it only if there's really no other way out of the situation you are in. Do not fret about the accommodations; that has been settled. I assure you that even though where you rest for the night might not be the most luxurious at times, your safety and well-being will never be compromised. The logistics team at Totsuki has and will continue to work day and night to ensure that everything proceeds according to plan."

"This is by far the toughest challenge yet. This race will make the Friendship and Rapport training camp seem like a walk in the park. It is, however, necessary to develop headstrong chefs who will not falter and be dissuaded by any small obstacle. I have the utmost faith in all of you that the 92nd Totsuki generation will exceed my expectations once again and return stronger and more competents chefs and individuals."

Senzaemon Nakiri smiled then, a genuine one filled with warmth and paternal pride. "Do me and the school proud, everybody. We await your return eagerly - "

He paused, frowning at someone off-screen who had most probably interrupted him. His look of annoyance was quickly replaced by one of sheepish understanding, though he wiped it off as soon as it appeared. Nodding one last time to that person, he turned back to the camera. "I apologize, I appear to have missed out on one of the most important points. I have the first seat, Eishi Tsukasa, to thank for the reminder."

"As mentioned previously, the race will take place over the course of a month, or more exactly, 31 days. It will officially start on the 15th and end on the 15th of the following month of November. Any pair who does not report back to Totsuki Academy by 2359 of the 15th will be expelled from the school. Excuses of any kind will not be tolerated." The announcement was uttered without a thread of remorse in his voice. It wasn't to be unexpected of course, most of the student body already expected it to happen. This wasn't the best culinary academy in the world for nothing – everybody knew that all these challenges were there in equal parts to teach the students and to cull the inept. It didn't lessen the impact of those words one bit though.

"It is more than possible to finish this race in the allocated time. In fact, I'm fairly confident a whole lot of you will be back in Japan in much less than that. There will be no curfews or wake-up calls; we leave the planning entirely up to you. Working hard and smart will ensure you get things done faster, but if you want to slack off, so be it. Just don't expect to still be a part of this place come the following month." The director breathed in deeply and stood up, both of his hands on either side of the glass box. "That's it for now. Without further ado, let me proceed to do the drawing of the pairs for the race. Inside this box is the name of all the first year students. I will draw two at once, and those two will be partners for the race. The decision is final; there will be no switching of partners under any circumstances."

And with that, names started coming out of the box quickly, the pairs forming one after another on the blackboard beside Senzaemon. Soma vaguely recognized a few of his classmates as they were called out, but it all went by like a blur until a familiar name was called out.

" **Zenji Marui**."

The unrolled paper was pinned onto the blackboard by the redhead senior from earlier – Kobonashi or something? - who was assisting Senzaemon with the process along with a silver-haired boy with a very calm demeanour. Soma was sure he was someone important too, but refrained from asking as the other two in the room with him did not seem to be particularly chatty then.

" **Yūki Yoshino**."

Soma smiled then, knowing that two of his dormmates were now safe. Having a weak partner for a challenge as onerous as this would mean unescapable expulsion for some, but Soma wasn't overly worried. He was sure that he'll be able to pull through, good partner or not. He was more concerned for his friends, Zenji in particular as the bespectacled boy was prone to bouts of fatigue and lapses in concentration. Having the energetic amber-haired girl by his side will undoubtedly help him greatly and keep him in check.

The knot in his stomach eased a little with every pairing that was announced. Ryōko was paired with Shun and the stars seemed to align as Shōji and Daiko were a pair again. The Aldini brothers were separated, Takumi ending up with Ikumi and Isami being paired with the chinese girl Soma had met in the Autumn Elections, Miyoko Hōjō.

Akira and Ryo seemed to grow more and more tense as the draw went on and their names remained uncalled. The silver-haired boy started pacing in front of the television to the point of wearing a hole in the carpet he was on, while Ryo started to play with the bandana on his wrist in agitated movements.

" **Alice Nakiri**."

The port chef perked up noticeably. Soma heard him mutter something like "ojou-sama" under his breath.

" **Hisako Arato**."

Ryo showed no outward reaction towards that pairing, and Soma couldn't tell if he was disappointed or not that he wasn't paired with Alice. Before he could ask, the next name that was called out had him focusing on the television.

" **Megumi Tadokoro**."

Soma watched as the piece of paper with the blunette's name was pinned onto the board – the blackboard was over three-quarters full now and the draw was coming to an end – and prayed that his closest friend will get a good partner. She was an exemplary chef, that was for sure, but she still lacked the confidence to stand up for herself sometimes, and if she got paired with someone that didn't complement her, she might run into trouble.

" **Akira Hayama**."

The relief that struck Soma had him releasing the pent up breath he didn't know he was holding. He couldn't think of anybody better to entrust Megumi to than the stoic and level-headed Sultan of spice. The pacing silver-haired boy stopped the moment his name was called and regarded the television for a long moment before turning towards Soma and shrugging. "Guess I'll be getting to know your friend a little better."

Soma beamed. "I guess you will."

" **Ryo Kurokiba**."

" **Urara Kawashima**."

"Figures I get paired with that brat." Ryo shook his head and scooped up his bag. "I'm leaving now. Ojou-sama probably wants to complain to me."

"Alright, see you, Kuroki - "

The door slammed shut behind him before Soma could bid his goodbye, and he met Akira's amused smile with his own. "Some things never change."

"That's one thing we can agree on."

" **Yukihira Soma**." Senzaemon's deep booming voice echoed in the room, sounding all the more unnerving now that he was saying his name.

Once again, Soma's gaze swung back to the television, but this time it was to find out who his partner is. He was surprised to see that the blackboard was now entirely filled, leaving only a small space for one last pair. Huh, that's pretty cool. It's like he was the main character in some sort of anime, his name the second last to be drawn to create suspense for the viewers. He found himself snickering, because it sounded so far-fetched even in his mind.

Oh well, since he was already down this road, might as well entertain it further. The only way to make it even more suspenseful was to end the episode on a cliff-hanger, and that would be by pairing the main character with his biggest nemesis, the one who absolutely _detests_ his guts. And that person would be none other than...

" **Erina Nakiri**."

Soma learnt that day that Akira Hayama was actually capable of laughing, and pretty loudly too.

* * *

Thanks for all your lovely reviews! I'm about to head out, so I don't really have too much time to type a long author's note or anything, but I really appreciate all of the support. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

The race officially begins next chapter, so look forward to that!

I'm aware that some people thought Erina's outburst was a tad too dramatic in the previous chapter, and that Soma was a little bit more oblivious than in the anime. I'll probably revisit it soon and read through it again and make some MINOR changes, but I personally think it's fine and not too big of a deal. I just want them to start at literally ground zero, so their relationship progress will be even sweeter!

Okay, thanks and let me know what you think as usual in a review.

 **EDIT: I WILL BE CHANGING SOME OF THAT HONORIFICS STUFF ASAP. THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK AND HELP WITH ALL THAT STUFF. SHOUTOUT TO DARKTATSU AND DEATHBRINGER779 FOR EXPLAINING 'EM TO CLUELESS OLD ME. :P**

Until next time!


	5. Chapter 4

_I have to go to bed soon, so I'll keep this one short. What Alice said still bothers me... I mean, I can't possibly l-l-like that fella right? And this is my diary, why am I stammering here?! Stupid Alice and her theories! All of them are WRONG. Anyway, that's not important right now. I have to get into the right frame of mind for the race, and that means going to bed early and getting sufficient rest. A new day awaits tomorrow. I hope Yukihira is ready, because I'll show him on this trip what separates me and him. A gulf in class that he could never hope to bridge in this lifetime._

\- _Erina Nakiri's secret diary, October 14th, 11:42p.m._

* * *

"... Are you sure you're fine, Erina-sama?"

Hisako was unsure of what to do. She had never seen Erina in such a state before, and she's had the priviledge of discovering just how many different sides there was to the God's Tongue that she would never show to the public. Erina rarely whined, but she had on a couple of occasions before, the most memorable one just a couple months back, when her idol, Saiba Jouchiro apparently dropped by to visit Senzaemon-dono for a discussion of some sort. He had left as quietly as he had entered the mansion, so much so that the tenth seat didn't learn about it until almost a week later, when one of the servants mentioned a "charismatic, brown-haired man who cooked like the Devil himself".

She had thrown a fit upon the unearthing of that nugget of information, the brunt of it falling upon her grandfather who appeared to shrink in stature in front of his beloved granddaughter's complaints. It was the first and quite possibly the last time Hisako will ever see the Food's Demon King look properly chastened.

Hisako had never met the man known as the _Asura_ before. He was the second seat in the Elite Ten of the 69th generation, only second to Totsuki Resort's head chef, Dojima Gin himself. Of course, if the rumours were to be believed, he had been relegated to the second seat solely due to his laziness and nonchalance. It was in no way a reflection of his culinary skills, as he supposedly far surpassed the cooking of the first seat. Then again, it made sense - for Erina to look up to someone, it goes without saying that Jouchiro must be a man of many talents and values.

Hisako also heard that the man had fathered a son and wondered if he'll ever come to Totsuki Academy to try and retrace his father's steps, to try and take the top seat in the school.

She shook her head to clear her mind of those thoughts. Her primary concern right now was to make sure that Erina was okay, as it was obvious that she wasn't functioning at her hundred percent. In fact, the blonde seemed quite out of it, her gaze unfocused as she stared out of the window in her office.

She hesitated for a second longer before venturing, "I could prepare some herbal tea for you. I'll suggest some chrysanthemum tea, it has cooling properties and might make you feel better."

Erina murmured in what the pinkette assumed to be assent, though Hisako couldn't be sure whether she had truly heard her or not. Hence, she tried again, though this time more quietly and respectfully, "Erina-sama, chrysanthemum tea it is then? I'll get right to it then. I won't be too long, just give me a couple - "

"Can you believe it, Hisako?!" Erina snapped suddenly, causing Hisako to jump in surprise at the unexpected outburst. The blonde's eyes were on her now, frenzied in a way that had Hisako taking a step back, fearing for her own life. "Him, of all people! It's like God's playing a cruel joke on me! I could have been paired with _two hundred_ other students, but it's him that I end up with. Tell me, Hisako, do you think I'm a bad human being? Do you think I deserve this kind of treatment? Be honest!"

The tenth seat was panting by the end of that tirade, and she looked expectantly at her aide. So it wasn't just a rhetorical question? Hisako hurried her addled brain to come up with a reply when that became apparent to her, the room drenched in a heavy, tense silence.

"U-Uhm, of course not, Erina-sama. You may be a little brusque and ruthless towards people you do not deem worthy, but they've all brought it upon themselves in one way or another."

Of course, Hisako thought otherwise at times. She was brought up in a nurturing and caring family, one that valued warmth and kinship. It wasn't in her nature to be overly critical, and the way Erina handled matters sometimes left her feeling uneasy and almost sympathetic towards the plights of the people the blonde crushed in her wake. Having been with Erina since she was just four years of age, Hisako has witnessed multiple chefs from illustrated backgrounds have their careers snuffed out with just a single word from the heiress. Erina was never around to deal with the aftermath, so she probably had no idea how profound an effect she left – most of those chefs never cooked again, the despair of rejection from the God's Tongue too deliberating for them to ever recover from.

However, she has come to accept that of the girl she followed dutifully. Erina was tasked to carry on the legacy of the Nakiri family, and that burden necessitated the indiferrence and haughtiness that made Erina Nakiri who she was. If she was too sentimental, she would not be feared and revered in equal measure.

Hisako wasn't sure if what she said did the trick, but Erina seemed to be mollified somewhat by her words, even though she still looked sully. "But you're my friend," she muttered, more to herself than anybody else, "you won't tell me even if I'm wrong."

"That's..." she hesitated, caught between comforting and not wanting to lie to Erina. "I – I know my position, and I won't want to step out of line, so..."

"Erina-chaaaaan! There you are!"

The pinkette found herself uncharacteristically relieved by the untimely – or timely in this case? - intrusion of the other Nakiri into Erina's office, who was coincidentally her partner for the upcoming race. Alice, as always, was followed by Ryo Kurokiba, who closed the door behind his before leaning back on it with a disinterested look as he waited for the silver-haired girl to finish whatever she had came to accomplish.

"I was looking for you all over the place, Erina!" Alice pouted, marching over to the irate blonde and poking her in the shoulder repeatedly. It reminded Hisako of an oblivious human provoking a slumbering black bear. "Complaining to Ryo is no fun! Talking to him is like talking to a wall. In fact, I think a wall might react more strongly than him. I was hoping you'll lend me a listening ear so I can complain about him being paired with that Urara witch! Oh, hi there, Hisako-chan. Are you excited to be paired with me? Let's have fun together!"

Hisako returned a weak smile towards Alice, who waved enthusiastically at her. Unbeknownst to the danish beauty, just behind her, Erina's anger was like a dormant volcano waking up after centuries of repose.

"What are you doing here, Alice? I'm not really in the mood for any of your antics today." Her voice was dangerously low.

Alice turned back to face her cousin with a smile, a hand on her chin in a pensive gesture. "But I thought I just told you, Erina? I'm here to complain to you!" She winked and leaned a little closer, whispering to her in hushed tones that Hisako couldn't catch from where she stood.

She didn't know what Alice told Erina, but the anger that was almost radiating off her in waves before extinguished in an instant, replaced by a flustered Erina that Hisako only saw surface around one boy.

"W-What do you mean? I'm _furious_ to be paired with him, and to think otherwise is sheer folly!"

"Oh, come on now, Erina." Alice's tone was borderline patronizing now, but Erina was way too agitated to comment on it. "You've read all those _shoujo_ mangas right? Do the couples always start off happy and loving? No, they have to brave through tumultous weather, yeah?"

"B-B-But - "

"And, let's not forget how he gets you so worked up everytime! No other person does that to you... not even _me!"_ Alice looked a little miffed when she said that, but she carried on without missing a beat, "an old chinese saying mentions that to scold is to like, and to hit is to love! You won't bother scolding or hitting someone if you don't at least care for that person."

Hisako frowned, thinking that sounded a little warped even to her inexperienced self.

"I absolutely _detest_ that person. In fact, that word doesn't do the enmity I feel towards him any justice! He's unbearable, infuriating, and disrespectful! The food he cooks is diner trash and the only place it deserves to be is at the bottom of a garbage disposal truck! He... He's just - " Catching the smug, knowing expression Alice was wearing, Erina felt herself faltering. She couldn't help it; she felt her face heating up. "Stop looking at me like that! You don't know what's going on, so don't even try!"

Alice's smile was slow and indulgent, as if enjoying Erina's inner turmoil. Maybe she was. A little bit too much. It's been awhile since she's gotten a raise out of her beloved cousin, anyway. "Should I go and tell Yukihira-kun that our princess over here has a secret _crush_ on him?" she teased.

Hisako gasped, and upon noticing the effect the words had on Erina, rushed to her rescue. The blond was trembling beside her, but from what, she couldn't be certain. The tenth seat's eyes were downcast, her hands balled into fists as she visibly fought for composure. "Alice-sama, you can't go around making preposterous claims like that!"

"I was just kidding." Alice laughed, the twinkling sound filling the air. "It appears that Erina isn't even aware of anything yet. I'll let them get to know each other better first. Won't want to interfere in a lovers' squabble now, would we?"

The pinkette was rendered quite speechless by the Danish Nakiri, something that happened far more often than she'll like. Alice always seemed to know what to say to catch her off guard, and she couldn't refute anything she said without offending Erina in one way or another. Luckily, Erina chose that moment to snap out of whatever trance she was in and glared daggers at Alice. "Don't go sounding like you know everything about love and relationships, Alice! You've been single your entire life too! I think even I know more about it than you!"

"Alas, you might be right. I definitely haven't read as many shoujo mangas as you, Erina."

The blonde folded her arms beneath her bust haughtily, her tone somewhat lofty, though it lacked its usual sharpness. Perhaps she was still a little shaken from Alice's words? " _Hmph,_ at least you're willing to admit that. I'll forgive you for - "

Alice wagged her finger back and forth, her scarlet eyes sparkling with merriment. "I wasn't quite done yet, dear cousin. As I was saying, I might not have read as many as those _fictional_ love stories as you" - she put a finger on her lips when Erina looked as if she was about to comment on the "fictional" part - "but I guarantee you, I have way more real life experience."

"Eh, what do you mean?"

"Do you not understand?" The silver-haired girl feigned disappointment as she shook her head in a resigned manner. "You really are clueless. I've done almost everything there is to do with Ryo-kun by now."

"EEEEHHHHHHH?!"

The shriek that escaped Erina's mouth sent a couple of servants scrambling into the room, concerned about the well-being of the heiress. Ryo, posted at the entrance to the room, was almost knocked over when the french doors burst open. He caught himself mid-stumble, and turning to the panicked servants who were about to open their mouths to make sure that Erina was alright, made his displeasure and annoyance known without uttering a single word – something that he was _very_ good at, if Alice may add. The room cleared out within seconds, none of the helpers in the mansion willing to lose their heads over a trivial matter as such, seeing that the God's Tongue was clearly unharmed and just in some distress.

The black-haired boy closed the door behind them, and this time, he made sure that it was locked before resuming his previous languid posture, seemingly unaffected by Alice's announcement even though he had to have heard it.

Hisako, on the other hand, was busy fanning the blonde in her arms who had collapsed upon that last statement from Alice, her face cherry red. She was murmuring something over and over again, albeit a little incoherently. She could pick up individual words like "married" and "babies", but they never formed a sentence that made any sense. "Erina-sama, are you okay?! Do you want me to call for help?!"

"Oh, she'll be fine. She always gets like that whenever anything remotely sexual is insinuated."

The pinkette regarded Alice with some disdain, though it was more exasperated than anything else. She was Erina's aide after all, so she had to take her friend's side. "I'll appreciate if you'll be more tactful around Erina-sama. Like you said, she can be a little fragile."

"She has to learn one way or another," Alice answered with a frivolous shrug. "She's going to be spending the next month or so with Yukihara-kun, yes? That's an awful lot of time to be alone with someone of the opposite gender, don't you think?"

Now that Alice mentioned it, it was true. Hisako didn't even think of that. Their clashing personalities and Erina's immense dislike for the redhead aside, he was still a boy, and she, an inexperienced girl. And not just in the romantic sense either; she might know how to act like royalty and behave as the public would come to expect from the heiress of the Nakiri family, but that's literally it. Erina had no idea how a normal girl will react in normal situations when she's out of her comfort zone. Being sheltered all her life under Senzaemon's protective wing, she never had to.

Comprehension suddenly struck Hisako like a thunderbolt, vehement and jarring. Was this the elderly Nakiri's plan all along?

"Now you understand what I mean. I can see it on your face." Alice sat herself down on Erina's desk, folding her legs primly one over another. "It's going to be _really_ interesting how she gets along with Yukihira-kun. That guy might just be the one to really turn her world upside down."

"... Do you really think that he'll be the one to change Erina-sama for the better?"

The small smile the silver-haired girl sent her direction was one that didn't normally grace the beautiful Danish's face. It was one with a hint of sadness... but as well as hope. "I don't know about that, at least not for sure. The one thing I know for certain, however, is if even that boy can't get through to our dear Erina, nobody else can."

Hisako found herself agreeing to that sentiment with a nod.

"For Erina-sama's sake, I also hope that's the case."

"That makes the two of us."

The two girls shared another smile, and Hisako figured that maybe it wasn't that bad to be paired with the other Nakiri after all.

* * *

Sleep evaded Soma like the most frustrating of preys. His mind was still going a million miles per hour, conjuring up possible scenarios he might be about to face starting tomorrow. The soft pitter-patter of rain which would normally be the best lullaby to accompany him to sleep annoyed him now, every drop seemingly amplified to his ears. Even the gentle beams of moonlight that managed to peek through the rain clouds to illuminate his room was suddenly too bright to his eyes.

Every one of his senses appeared to be working overtime for no discernible reason and it didn't seem like they were about to call it quits anytime soon. After tossing and turning in bed for a good part of the paast hour, he finally had enough. If he wasn't going to be getting any rest, he might as well use the time and do something productive.

Hopping off his bed and making it a point to keep quiet, the redhead stole a glance at the glowing face of his digital clock on his bedside table – it was just a quarter past one in the morning – and headed towards the kitchen on light feet to heat up a warm cup of milk for himself. Nothing soothed his nerves and put him at ease better than a warm beverage on a chilly night.

To say Soma was surprised when he found the lights of the kitchen spilling onto the narrow corridor he was padding down would be an understatement. Initially, he thought it was Fumio-sensei, but even the warden of Polar Star Dormitory would not be awake at this time. All the more, with tomorrow bright and early being the start of the Amazing Food Race, she would probably be in bed even earlier to be up at the crack of dawn and prepare for all her kids a sumptuous breakfast before sending them off.

"Tadokoro!" Soma exclaimed when he discovered the person responsible for the lights. The blunette was standing in front of the fridge, sifting through its contents. She jumped at his sudden greeting and released a small squeak of fright as she turned immediately to face the unexpected intruder. Megumi only relaxed when she realized it was just him and breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, it's just you, Soma-kun. You gave me quite a fright there."

"Hah, my bad. I should have thought about that before just calling your name." Soma grinned bashfully as he made his way over to join his friend at the fridge. "What are you doing up so late? Can't sleep?"

"Yeah," Megumi replied somewhat morosely, "it's been awhile since I've had trouble sleeping. Studying at this academy guarantees that you'll be tired at the end of the day, so I've always drifted off the moment my head hits the pillow. Tonight, however..." she trailed off, staring at Soma as he dug into the fridge in search of milk. "What are you looking for?"

"Milk."

"It's just over there, Soma-kun." The blunette pointed at the fridge's door where all the beverages were placed in a neat and orderly fashion.

"Sweet, thanks!" Soma grabbed the carton and nudged it shut with the side of his hip before going towards the counter and emptying the contents into a stainless steel cup. "I'm making some warm milk, do you want some too?"

"Sure." Megumi shrugged, following behind him. "If you think it'll help me get to sleep..."

"I guarantee it! In fact, since you're here as well, why don't we indulge a little?"

"Huh?"

Soma placed the cup over the stove and proceeded to heat it up. He then went back to the fridge to fetch another item, which turned out to be a chocolate bar. The decadent piece of processed cocoa went into the milk and the saccharine scent soon filled the air. A quick stir of the mixture with a spoon and portioning into two separate cups later, Soma presented the blunette with her own cup of warm chocolate milk.

"Come on, let's go outside and get some fresh air."

The duo left the inner warmth of the dormitory to the porch, taking a seat on the lounging chairs available there. The rain had slowed to a light drizzle and almost to a stop during their time in the kitchen, and Soma welcomed the cooling breeze as he took a sip from the warm, rich flavoured milk in his cup. Maybe it was his humble upbringing, maybe it was his dad's teachings and modesty picked up from running a family-owned diner and serving customers daily, but the redhead enjoyed the simplest things in life. Something as mundane as having a hot beverage to nurse in the cold with a roof above his head to shelter him from the elements was enough to give him a deep sense of satisfaction.

His eyes wandered over the deserted courtyard to the well-maintained driveway connecting the dormitory to the main road and lastly, to the vegetable gardens and animal pens tucked away in the left corner of the grounds. Everything was covered in a sheen of rain, the surface sleek and glinting in the moonlight. The rustling of leaves periodically cut through the otherwise quiet night and the amicable silence he and Megumi were sharing as they both enjoyed each other's company and let the warmth of the drink in their hands seep into their bodies.

They have come a long way since their first day in Totsuki Academy. Everybody has improved leaps and bounds, and for that, Soma was glad. He never thought that he still had so much to learn when he was back in Yukihira Diner, as even though he felt he had a long way to go to surpass his dad, Jourichi was the only person he had trouble besting in anything culinary related.

He only now realized that he had been a big fish in a small pond.

Now that he was here amongst the cream of the crop - amazing young chefs hailing from influential families in the cooking industry, only then was he able to truly comprehend just how narrow-minded he was all those years ago. Then again, he was thankful; if his dad had not given him the chance to attend this institution, he would never have managed to get to know the people in Polar Star Dormitory, to forge such close friendships and pit himself against the best budding chefs in the country, perhaps even the world.

This was an experience he'll treasure his entire life, so he wasn't about to let his tenure in the school be cut short over one small challenge. No obstacle so far had been insurmountable to Soma, and he planned to keep it that way.

"A penny for your thoughts, Soma-kun?"

"Ah, sorry. Drifted off a little there. It's nothing much, I was just thinking about what'll happen tomorrow."

"Oh. Yeah, me too. I just called my parents this afternoon to inform them that I might not be able to contact them regularly over the course of the next month. They were very worried about me."

It figured. Megumi's parents knew better than she probably knew herself, and they'll be concerned about how she'll hold up mentally when put through such a gruelling challenge. Little did they know just how much she has changed over the past couple of months. Sure, the meek little port town girl still surfaced at times, but she just needed the right company to bring out the best in her. Eventually, she'll come to realize her own potential and be able to stand on her own two feet, not letting the gravity of the situation or negative thoughts from others bring her down.

Until then, Soma would be there to give her that additional push whenever she needed it, just like how she had helped him out of his slump.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. You held your own in the Autumn Elections, didn't you? Against some of the very best too." Soma gave the blunette a smile over the top of his cup.

"I-I guess that's true."

"You'll be with Hayama too. That guy's really amazing."

"Oh, right!" The giggle that left Megumi's mouth was more born of nervousness than mirth. "I hope I don't make any mistakes and pull him down or disappoint him..."

"You won't." Soma drained his cup dry in a single gulp before setting it aside. "You're an exceptional chef, and if Hayama thinks otherwise, he's a fool."

"Haah..." The blunette hung her head a little at his remark, embarrassed. "Thank you, Soma-kun. Sometimes I think you have more confidence in me than I have in myself."

"Really? The solution is simple then! Just believe in yourself more!"

Megumi had a somewhat vexed expression on her face as she smiled tightly. "Ahaha, I don't think it's that easy."

"Well, it shouldn't be," Soma replied matter-of-factly.

Deciding a change in topic was necessary before Soma pressed the issue, Megumi steered the discussion towards something decidedly safer by asking, "Are you nervous about tomorrow, Soma-kun?

Soma deliberated over her question for slightly longer than he normally would. "I might be, just a little. In the same way an experienced sports professional might still get cold feet before a big game, I do feel a little bit of nerves. I think that my excitement outweighs that though, that was the main reason why I couldn't sleep. I can't wait for the race to begin."

"Eh?! Are you not worried at all?" Megumi's eyes were as wide as saucers. "It sounds so intimidating to me! I've read the entirety of the rules and guidelines, and even though no other details on the race have been released, it's going to be at the very least twice as hard as the training camp we had at Totsuki Resort!"

"But that's the whole point, isn't it? I won't want it to be easy, either. I think Senzaemon-dono put it quite eloquently. If all these training camps didn't push us to our limits as both chefs and individuals, we'll be hard-pressed to improve. We are all good chefs, but in order to raise the bar and get us to push ourselves even more, this is all necessary."

Megumi sighed, conceding to his point grudgingly. "That's true, but I just can't help but worry..."

"Don't worry, Tadokoro! I'm sure you'll do well." Soma set aside his empty cup and approached her, patting her on the back a few times in what was supposed to be a reassuring gesture. Except for the fact that he did it kinda _hard_.

The blunette coughed into her palm to disguise her grunts and moved away quickly from Soma, who cocked his head and regarded her blankly. Her back was burning from where he had hit her. "T-Thanks, Soma-kun. I really, uhm, appreciate your well wishes."

"Hah! Just make sure you're here too after the month is over! I'll be waiting to celebrate our completion of this race with you and everybody else."

Megumi inclined her head in agreement. If Soma had so much trust in her, how could she bear to let him down? She'll make sure to complete the race and be back here to celebrate the feat with everybody from the Polar Star Dormitory.

"Uh huh. It's a promise."

* * *

The day of reckoning came all too soon.

Early in the morning at ten sharp, the Totsuki first years were ushered into buses that were to bring the entire student body to Tokyo Haneda Airport. The tension was thick in the chartered coaches, as even though many tried to put on a jovial front and act as confident as possible, everybody knew that out of all the 504 students on the trip, less than half would be able to retain their position as a student of the Totsuki Culinary Academy. Due to the random seating on the buses – something Senzaemon-dono arranged as well, to ensure that the partners could only meet and talk to each other subsequent to the official start of the race – it was possible that one might not see their seat partner again.

With that in mind, the students were reluctant to strike up conversation, and the trip to the airport was about as uneventful as it could get. Along the way, in the buses, each student was forced to hand over their personal phones as well as electronic devices for the time being in exchange for his or her plane ticket. They would be returned their mobile devices upon touch down at the foreign country. Once again, the seats were randomized and in no particular order. The country they were all heading to was also purposefully left blank – the influence Totsuki Academy had over certain industries continued to boggle minds.

Before noon, most of the students had already boarded their respective flights. They were mixed in with the general public, though a few of the more inquisitive students soon found out that even the public refused to divulge any information about which country the flight was going to. It was all very secretive, and Totsuki had all their bases covered. Even with the flight number privy to them, without the use of any electronic devices, they were unable to come out with anything from it.

The flight itself lasted approximately 7 hours, and when the students finally disembarked from their flights, they found themselves in a spacious airport, one with squeaky clean marble floors and thick carpeted walkways. The ceiling-to-floor glass windows allowed them a view of one of the busiest and most organised runways in Asia, as close to a thousand flights departed and arrived every single day.

A handful of well-travelled students knew immediately where they were, and hushed whispers started filling the air. This was the country known as the little red dot; a country so small, it couldn't be seen on the world map. However, the same country also boasted of a wide cultural diversity and impressive culinary achievements inversely proportionate to its size. Indeed, to think that the starting point of the Amazing Race was going to be easy based on its deceiving landmass would be a mistake.

An enchanting garden city. The busiest trading port on the globe. The safest country in the world.

A melting pot of cuisines from all over the planet.

That country is Singapore, just the first of multiple countries the first years will have to conquer on this Amazing Food Race.

Let the race begin.

* * *

 **A/N:** **So sorry for the delay! I was busy the whole of yesterday and was unable to upload it. It's Monday now where I am, but better late than never right? :P**

As always, leave a review to let me know what you think. I know I promised that this chapter will be the start of the race, but I felt as if I had to introduce certain characters and work a little on the big bro/little sis Megumi and Soma has got going on. And now that we all know where the first country this Amazing Race is going to start at, what are your thoughts? I mean, it is where I live, so I have a good idea of where the famous local cuisines are at. I'm familiar with the orientation and what not, so it'll be easier for me to write as well!

Anyway, if there are any Singaporeans reading this, feel free to chip in with input on where or what you'll want them to cook/go. I have it pretty much all planned, but if anybody comes along with a more interesting idea, I'll be happy to accommodate.

So, thanks for reading and once again, until next time!


	6. Chapter 5

_I understand that as insignificant creatures of this Earth, we continuously strive to be better and for something beyond our current capabilities. The mosquito who bit me on my arm after I touched down... you've reached the summit, buddy. I hope you have a shitty life._

\- _A tweet from Alice Nakiri's Twitter, October 15th, 8.23 p.m._

* * *

Soma gaped at the unfamiliar sight waiting for them at the arrival hall.

He hadn't been expecting any fanfare or spotlight from the public. Tōtsuki Academy was known worldwide and carried a fearsome reputation for churning out some of the greatest chefs the world has ever bore witness to, but as with most of its events involving their students, everything was very hush-hush and on a need-to-know basis. The general public was almost always left in the dark when it came to Tōtsuki legendary curriculum and tests.

So why was there such a big horde waiting for them at the airport?

"Yukihira, don't just stand there with your mouth open like a goldfish. Let's go to the front. It looks like grandfa – _Senzaemon-dono_ is about to make an announcement."

"Alright." The redhead made his way through the crowd behind Erina, who had found him at the luggage claim a little after touch-down. She was dressed casually in a plain, practical yellow blouse and a pair of form-hugging jeans. Even in such a simple outfit, she still managed to look effortlessly beautiful and regal at the same time. Soma was one to speak his mind without too much hesitation, but the compliment on the edge of his tongue refused to be spoken for some reason. If it was Tadokoro and any other of his friends, he wouldn't think twice before commenting that they looked good in what they were wearing. (This also meant that he wouldn't hold back from pointing out if they looked weird; it goes both ways, after all) However, with the blonde, he decided that erring on the side of caution would be the better choice – after all, he didn't know how she would react to receiving a compliment, and from him, of all people.

Besides, he planned to heed the advice Isshiki had given him prior to the trip during breakfast, and that was to go along with whatever the tenth seat said to prevent any unnecessary conflict.

" _I'm sure she'll come to realize that she needs you by her side sooner or later," The seventh seat had said breezily in between bites of his plate of food. Fumio had prepared a nutritious and filling American-style breakfast for everybody to kick-start the momentous day. "I've caught a brief glimpse of some of the challenges, and I have to say that nobody can single-handedly finish this. One looks particularly daunting! It's definitely going to be a test of more than just your culinary skills. If Erina-chan goes into the race thinking that it's going to be a stroll in the park just due to her ability, she's going to be in for a big surprise."_

" _So you're saying that until she comes around, I have to follow her around like a puppy?" Soma had asked, furrowing his brow. That wasn't something he was used to doing._

 _The smile that had touched the upperclassman's lips was one born of mirth. "Something like that. You're in a delicate situation, Soma-kun. I know that's not your style, but for the sake of this race, you have to do it that way. Erina can be a little…difficult at times, as we all know. This is the only option for you to get through to her so she'll acknowledge and treat you like her partner."_

 _Soma couldn't help but release a sigh. "If you think that's the best way, Isshiki-senpai."_

" _I know so."_

With the conversation early in the morning firmly in mind, Soma made his way through the crowd of students who parted like the Red Sea for Moses the moment they spotted the heiress leading the way. It appeared as if nobody was willing to incur her wrath so early on in the race, for fear of the possible repercussions.

"I guess being with a Nakiri does has its perks after all…" he mumbled to himself.

Before long, the pair were at the front of the sizable crowd, facing a makeshift podium where Senzaemon himself was standing, surveying the gathering students with an unblinking gaze. To his left and right were a group of people who Soma deduced to be Tōtsuki alumni; he recognized a handful of teachers from the academy, but most of them were unfamiliar faces. The entire holding area was cordoned off with black and yellow tape, resembling a crime scene from a movie. There were even security guards ushering the last trickle of first years towards the stage while keeping a watchful eye on the throng of onlookers on the other side of the tape.

Soma would have thought it all excessive, if not for the staggering number of people peering at them. Clicks of camera shutters and the occasional flashes made it obvious that the crowd wasn't made just of curious spectators, but also of news and camera crews that were hungry for their next scoop. He kind of felt like a wild animal in an enclosure with all the attention they were getting. Judging from the nervous murmurs and tension in the air, he wasn't the only one.

He dared a glance at his partner who was fiddling with the zipper on her luggage, having pocketed her passport and other important documents safely away. He had to give Erina some credit where it was due; while Alice had brought a gigantic luggage bag that would put the Titanic to shame, the blonde was lugging along a suitcase of much more reasonable size. She might be the very definition of befuddling at times, but at least she's sensible and logical.

As Soma noted that Erina was having trouble zipping her bag up due to the bulging contents, he slowly became aware of how conversations around him were slowly tapering off, replaced by whispers of anticipation and excitement. His confusion gave way to comprehension when he noticed that Senzaemon was adjusting the mic on the stand. He adjusted the strap of his bag to a more comfortable position around his shoulder and waited for the Food's Devil King to begin speaking.

"Welcome to Singapore, students of Tōtsuki!" Senzaemon-dono's booming voice filled the hall, effectively cutting off any last echoes of chatter and bringing all attention to himself. "The Amazing Food Race is about to begin in just a couple of minutes, so I hope everybody is feeling well and raring to go! Before that, however, I'll like to make a couple of important announcements. Please do listen carefully as this might determine whether you get a passing grade or not."

"There's going to be a number of challenges in each country. There's no pre-determined route you guys have to follow to complete the race. It depends entirely on the decisions you make. For example, when the first challenge is completed, you will be directed to the station master and she'll give you a couple of different colored hint cards to choose from. Each station in Singapore is marked with a separate color, so the color you choose will be the next station to be attempted by you and your partner. Regardless of the path you take, every pair has to finish all the stations in Singapore before they're given the plane ticket to the next country."

"By now, all of you should have received your phones back. You are allowed to phone your family, text your friends, get the hints on search engines to try and find the next location… there are no particular restrictions to speak of besides for the obvious – any information communicated regarding the stations will result in immediate expulsion. Your phones have been bugged and will be monitored around the clock, so don't get any ideas."

"Lastly, each pair will have been given a satellite phone. Any updates on your accommodation or certain hints for some time-based stations will be sent through it, so be sure to keep it with you. There's also a school-issued sports watch that has a GPS chip embedded in it – it is of utmost importance that you wear it at all times. In case of any incident and somebody goes missing, we will be able to track you down through it."

Senzaemon paused and glanced to the people at his side. "With that being said, some of the teaching staff at Tōtsuki and other esteemed guests are also here in Singapore to help out with the event as station masters. You'll meet all of them in due time, so there's no need to introduce them to you."

"And… that's it. Are there any queries?"

The silence that met Senzaemon's question made it seem almost rhetorical. A wry smile graced the Food Devil King's weathered face. He waited a beat longer, then two before nodding. "If there are no further clarifications… Then let me officially get the ball rolling. The first ever Tōtsuki Amazing Food Race begins right _now!_ "

The moment the last word left the school director's mouth, a cacophony of beeps resounded through the holding area. That, accompanied with the swift removal of the tape cordoning off the area and the rushing camera crews, made for quite a scene. A flurry of activities took place in the next few minutes; some pairs opted to make a rush out of the arrival hall to somewhere less crowded, so they can plan their next move, while others stayed put and checked their satellite phones for the first hint that had been sent out. There were also reporters swarming in on the students unlucky enough to be on the outer circle and demanding interviews.

It was a total mess.

Thankfully, the two of them were sitting pretty deep in the middle of the student body, so they weren't overly affected by the unfolding chaos. Soma stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket as he scanned the undulating crowd, trying to spot a familiar face but to no avail. Maybe his friends have already left? "Man, this is crazy. What are we going to do first, Nakiri? And do you need some help with that? You look like you're really struggling to get that zipper - "

"Take the phone from me and read the hint first." Erina, once again crouched over her bag and moving the zipper back and forth in irritation with one hand, either ignored his offer of help or didn't hear it. She was holding out the satellite phone towards him on her other hand.

Soma cleared his throat. "Once again, do you need help with that?"

The frostiness in her eyes when Erina met his would have been sufficient to freeze the world over with much to spare. "Even if I do, I won't be asking it from _you_ ."

Ahh, so she _had_ heard it. Soma briefly pondered what kind of evil deeds he must have done in his past life to accrue this much hatred from the heiress, but quickly dislodged the distracting musing to focus on the first mission.

"Alright, suit yourself." The redhead plucked the phone and toyed with the buttons on it for a moment before finding the power button at the top, which also functioned as the button to wake the phone up from sleeping mode. He was no stranger to phones with number pads – he used to own one of the first-generation Nokia a couple years back after all. It just felt way too bulky in his hand with how used he was to the sleek models nowadays. Still, it was kind of nostalgic to brush his fingers across the rubber of the pads. After a little more navigating through the menus, Soma found the message stored in the inbox and selected it.

 **Red when cooked, black whilst raw,**

 **Underwater I live, though on land I do crawl.**

 **Hard and soft my exterior may be,**

 **Every direction is where I see.**

 **Side to side, that's how I travel,**

 **Endless flavors I can be cooked in, if my secrets you can unravel.**

 **On the East of the island lies a jetty,**

 **Where all of us can be found in a jiffy.**

"Huh. This isn't what I was expecting." Soma scratched his head as he read the riddle over and over, trying to make sense of it all. He never was good at puzzles of any kind. All he got from it was that it's probably some type of seafood and they were supposed to be headed towards some place East of Singapore.

"What is it?" Erina asked with a furrowed brow. She had finally secured the zipper on her bag.

"It's a riddle of some sort. I guess we gotta solve it to get where the first location is supposed to be." Soma smiled sheepishly. "You wanna give this a shot instead? Maybe you'll have more luck with it than me."

The blonde took it from his proffered hand and started reading it. A moment later, she looked up at him in disdain. "This is pretty obvious, isn't it? You're telling me you don't know what this dish is?"

Soma blinked a few times. "Not a clue."

"Figures." Erina flipped her hair back and grabbed her bag. "Let's go and find a place with Wi-Fi to get the exact co-ordinates of the station."

"Hey, wait up! You're not even going to tell me the dish?" Soma hefted his bag up as well and jogged after the tenth seat.

"Nope."

"Come on, just a hint?"

"No, Yukihira."

"At least tell me – "

" _No."_

* * *

 **A/N:** So, it appears I owe you people an apology for this really really late update. I'm very behind schedule atm, partially due to my insane work schedule for the past week and the next couple of days, and in part because I've been busy with farewell parties and preparing to travel to Australia to study for the next couple of years. It's all a little crazy, so bear with me while I sort my life out. Updates might be a little slower for now (I've been stuck at the next chapter for close to a week now, I don't have the time to even power up my laptop these few days) but I'll do my best to churn out at least two more before I fly next month. Then it's back to being off the grid for maybe a week or two while I settle in. No promises on that though!

Sorry for the short chapter as well, I just felt that it was appropriate to end here so you guys could try to figure out the hint on your own!

 **SO, THE IMPORTANT BIT! WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK THE INGREDIENT IS? LET ME KNOW IN THE REVIEWS! (Eventually, I'll make a competition for one of the harder hints and give a reward to the first person to guess the dish/ingredient correctly. This is a little too easy in my opinion, so you'll get a virtual cookie if you get it right ;))**

 **As always, thank you for reading. Until next time!**


End file.
